Your Guide to Meeting Santa at Disney World for the Holidays. The holiday season is feeling extra festive at Walt Disney World Resort. Thousands of twinkling lights, merry music, and, of course, the jolliest of them all! That’s right: Santa Claus will be making stops across all four Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs in between his holiday preparations.
Whether you’re looking for a heartwarming photo moment or simply want to tell Santa what’s on your wish list, we have your guide to where Santa will be making stops at Walt Disney World this holiday season up until his big day on Christmas Eve.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Lights, camera, holidays! Walt Disney Presents is shining for the season with a brand-new holiday installation celebrating favorite Disney stories.
Guests can explore festive displays featuring props and artifacts from beloved films like Noelle, Babes in Toyland, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and one of my favorites, The Santa Clause.
Adding to all this festive fun, the attraction’s theater will take on a seasonal twist with a limited-time experience, showcasing “Holiday Shorts” including Walt Disney’s On Ice, Pluto’s Christmas Tree, and The Art of Skiing starring Goofy. If you’re joining the fun during Disney Jollywood Nights, you may even spot Duffy dressed as Santa.
Where to See Santa at Hollywood Studios
- Walt Disney Presents, until December 24th
That’s right, the big man himself will surely stop by Walt Disney Presents decked out in its festive splendor. With all the new holiday flair in the building, cast members made sure to create a welcoming space for the guest of honor.
Matthew, Show Director with Disney Live Entertainment, and his team drew inspiration from some of Walt Disney’s love of the season when setting up for Santa’s arrival.
“The new location at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is inspired by one of Walt’s early works, the 1932 Silly Symphony short, Santa’s Workshop,” Matthew said. “We hope guests get caught up in the joy, imagination, and whimsy of the holidays.”
Amie, Disney Live Entertainment Producer, added, “I think guests will love the feeling of stepping right into Santa’s cozy toy shop when they come meet him at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year. One of my favorite parts of the room is actually as you first walk in! Be sure to look around you to spot beautiful Disney artwork from holidays past!”
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrates the holidays with unique, globally inspired decor, including the charming Merry Menagerie of life-sized animal puppets on Discovery Island and the dazzling holiday Tree of Life Awakenings projection show.
For holiday photos with a sense of humor, Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand U.S.A is the place for you. Dinosaur fans may notice stockings, statues, and ornaments belonging to some of their favorite paleontologists and decor honoring Cretaceous creatures – with a Christmas twist, of course.
Where to See Santa at Animal Kingdom
- Restaurantosaurus, from November 14 to December 24
When you step onto the Parasaurolophus Porch, you’ll meet Santa in a setting that’s dino-sized in charm and full of festive spirit. Before you see Santa, be sure and keep your eyes peeled both high and low (yes, there are tiny dinosaurs with tiny parachutes coming from the ceiling) — this Santa stop is a dino delight!
EPCOT
EPCOT is getting ready to put the festive in festival when EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth begins November 28. Around World Showcase, guests can discover international holiday storytellers like Père Noël in France and Barn Santa in Norway — celebrating the fantastic holiday traditions from across the globe.
Where to See Santa at EPCOT
- Communicore Hall, from November 28 to December 24
Cast members will soon be decking the Hall - CommuniCore Hall, that is! Stop by once the festival begins to see an incredible Spaceship Earth gingerbread display and a chance to meet Santa in a wintry setting.
Looking for even more holiday cheer? Swing by The Odyssey, where Santa Goofy is ready to strike a pose with your family.
Magic Kingdom Park
The Christmas season at Magic Kingdom is pure, nostalgic winter magic. Garlands and giant bows deck the halls of Main Street, U.S.A. where the iconic, towering Christmas tree and “snoap” flurries create a quintessential holiday scene.
Where to See Santa at Magic Kingdom
- Storybook Circus, starting Thanksgiving Day
During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party keep an eye out for Santa as he waves from his sleigh during Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, bringing that picture-perfect Disney magic to Main Street, U.S.A. and Cinderella Castle.
Starting Thanksgiving Day, all guests can make their way to Storybook Circus, which is now decked out in fun and jolly decor for the first time! Santa will also have his own dedicated spot to meet families hoping to cross things off their wish lists!
For even more holiday fun, head into Adventureland, where a certain classic pun-filled ride has been transformed into the Jingle Cruise, complete with skippers cracking festive holiday jokes and tacky-but-charming Christmas decorations adorning the boathouse and jungle scenes.
Disney Springs
At Disney Springs, guests may find Santa in his workshop near Disney’s Pin Traders — and yes, it’s one of the most popular photo ops of the season!
Where to See Santa at Disney Springs
- Near Disney’s Pin Traders, until December 24
To make things merry and efficient, guests can join a virtual queue through the My Disney Experience app for this experience. A standby queue will not be available, so be sure to check the app for multiple entry opportunitiesthroughout the day.
Behind the Magic: The Cast Making Santa Feel Right at Home
From lighting every twinkling garland to ensuring Santa’s chair is perfectly placed, it takes a village of cast members and Imagineers to check the list and make these moments really shine. Disney Live Entertainment cast member Steve, Senior Art Director, shared some of their favorite details he hope guests will enjoy.
“My favorite part of meeting Santa is the way the space sets up a nostalgic feeling and anticipation before meeting Santa Claus himself,” Steve said. “The hallways are filled with vintage holiday greeting cards that have been created through multiple decades of joy and holiday harmony. You’ll see letters from all around the world addressed to Santa!”
No matter where you go, from the theme parks to Disney Springs, holiday cheer is waiting to light up your holiday.
Families can capture every magical moment with Disney PhotoPass photographers, stationed throughout all four parks and Disney Springs. From twinkling lights to festive backdrops – and even limited-time seasonal props and Magic Shots – they’ll help you preserve the spirit of the season, perfect for any holiday card you plan to send to loved ones.
Disney Springs
At Disney Springs, guests may find Santa in his workshop near Disney’s Pin Traders — and yes, it’s one of the most popular photo ops of the season!
Where to See Santa at Disney Springs
- Near Disney’s Pin Traders, until December 24
To make things merry and efficient, guests can join a virtual queue through the My Disney Experience app for this experience. A standby queue will not be available, so be sure to check the app for multiple entry opportunitiesthroughout the day.
Behind the Magic: The Cast Making Santa Feel Right at Home
From lighting every twinkling garland to ensuring Santa’s chair is perfectly placed, it takes a village of cast members and Imagineers to check the list and make these moments really shine. Disney Live Entertainment cast member Steve, Senior Art Director, shared some of their favorite details he hope guests will enjoy.
“My favorite part of meeting Santa is the way the space sets up a nostalgic feeling and anticipation before meeting Santa Claus himself,” Steve said. “The hallways are filled with vintage holiday greeting cards that have been created through multiple decades of joy and holiday harmony. You’ll see letters from all around the world addressed to Santa!”
No matter where you go, from the theme parks to Disney Springs, holiday cheer is waiting to light up your holiday.
Families can capture every magical moment with Disney PhotoPass photographers, stationed throughout all four parks and Disney Springs. From twinkling lights to festive backdrops – and even limited-time seasonal props and Magic Shots – they’ll help you preserve the spirit of the season, perfect for any holiday card you plan to send to loved ones.
And for even more convenience, download all your photos with Memory Maker,an all-inclusive photo package.
**Originally appeared on the Disney Parks Blog
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