Where to See Santa at Walt Disney World
The most magical time of year is even better at the most magical place on Earth. And what could be more magical than seeing Santa at Walt Disney World?
Get family photos with the jolliest man there is at Disney Springs. Or wave hello as he passes by in a festive parade. We're sharing all the places you can see Santa at Disney!
*Pictured: Santa at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
And there are even more places to see Santa Claus in Orlando – check it out at Orlando-Parenting.com.
Basics of the Holidays At Walt Disney World
Let's start off with the basics of what you need to know about celebrating the holidays at Walt Disney World.
The holidays at Walt Disney World kick off November 13, 2025 and run through early January 2026. EPCOT gets a later start on November 28, 2025.
If you plan to visit on Christmas or any dates close to it, book your Disney Park Pass Reservation as soon as possible. These will book to capacity very quickly, even though park pass reservations are not required for some ticket types.
Other things to know:
- Each theme park and Disney resort hotel is decorated
- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is very popular
- Special holiday food and beverages are available at each Disney theme park
- Santa Claus appears at each of the four Disney theme parks and Disney Springs
There are three BIG CHANGES for Santa at Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT, so check our list and the My Disney Experience app for times.Keep reading to learn where Santa is in each Disney theme park. And at the end you'll find info about visiting Santa for FREE at Disney Springs.
Where to See Santa at Walt Disney World
Each of the four Disney theme parks has a way for you to see Santa Claus. Magic Kingdom is the most popular spot for seeing Santa, however, it takes the most work.
Santa Claus at Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom tends to top everyone's list for the holidays. The decorations are classic, especially on Main Street USA. However, seeing Santa at Magic Kingdom is not as easy as EPCOT or Disney Springs.
Santa appears at the parade at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and in the Santa's Christmas Carnival in Storybook Circus, NEW for 2025, Santa Claus is meeting guests in this merry spot during the day, not just during the Very Merry Christmas Party!
This parade also performs during the day during the week of Christmas Day, and the week after. These two weeks of Christmas are also the busiest time of the entire year at Disney.
Santa Claus at EPCOT
Santa Claus appears at EPCOT in multiple ways. NEW for 2025 at EPCOT! Cast Members have decked the halls at CommuniCore Hall! This new location near the front of the park and houses an incredible Spaceship Earth gingerbread display. And this year marks a new way to meet Santa in a wintery setting at EPCOT.
During the Festival of the Holidays, EPCOT comes alive with holiday cheer. Each World Showcase pavilion has a Holiday Storyteller, sharing the history and origin of international holiday traditions, in many entertaining ways.
Three holiday storytellers resemble Santa Claus. In the United Kingdom Pavilion, France Pavilion, and Norway Pavilion these storytellers are similar to our modern-day version of Santa.
Each performance lasts about fifteen minutes, and the storytellers perform on a small stage not far from the main promenade. This makes it easy to grab something to eat or drink from a nearby Holiday Kitchen while you watch the storyteller.
Santa Claus at Disney's Hollywood Studios
NEW for 2025! Santa finally has an official meet and greet spot inside Disney's Hollywood Studios. And, it is a favorite spot for Disney fans. I have loved Walt Disney Presents ever since it was “One Man's Dream” decades ago. This behind-the-scenes look at Walt Disney's legacy is full of incredsible props and mini exhibits, and now for the holiday season, there are props and displays from beloved Disney Christmas movies and specials.
And it is right here at Walt Disney Presents that Santa is making a Hollywood home for himself.
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,”
Santa at Disney's Animal Kingdom
The unique interpretations of the holidays at Disney's Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite things about the holiday season at Walt Disney World. And this year is super special because it is the LAST year you'll ever get to meet Santa Claus at Animal Kingdom, combined with a dinosaur theme!
You can meet Santa Claus at the “75th Annual Dino Institute Holiday Party” on the patio at Restaurantosaurus. Santa will greet guests in this festive new location as the students and faculty of the Dino Institute celebrate the season in (pre)-historic fashion until December 24, 2025!
See Santa for FREE at Disney Springs
You can see Santa for free at Disney Springs, but you'll need to get there early. To see Santa at Disney Springs, you’ll need to sign up through the virtual queue. When you arrive, check for a sign with a QR code. The virtual queue signs are once you've entered Disney Springs from each parking area.
Once you've entered the virtual queue you'll get a notification on your phone when it is your turn to see Santa. You can check the MyDisneyExperience app, under Virtual Queues to see how much longer you have to wait.
While you wait go explore the rest of Disney Springs, though you'll need to get to the Santa greeting area within 45 minutes of notification that it is your turn. So don't go too far.
Once it is your turn, you'll meet the big man himself at Santa's Marketplace, near Disney’s Pin Traders. You can also have Breakfast with Santa at Disney Springs, at Maria and Enzo's Italian Restaurant.
Checking it twice…
- Santa appears at all four Disney theme parks and Disney Springs
- EPCOT is the easiest theme park for traditional photos with Santa meet and greet
- Disney Springs is free to enter and offers photos with Santa
- Santa meet and greet at Disney Springs usually starts in early November and goes to Christmas Eve
- A virtual queue is required for meeting Santa at Disney Springs