How and Where to Meet Santa at Disney World in 2025: Disney Holidays 2025. The holidays come alive at Disney World in 2025, with opportunities to encounter the Jolly Old Elf and his festive friends. From Santa Claus himself to characters like Santa Goofy and the various international Holiday Storytellers, such as Père Noël (Father Christmas) in Epcot’s France Pavilion and the Barn Santa in Norway, families will have plenty of chances to see, meet, and greet Santa.
Here’s a guide to where and when you can meet Santa at Walt Disney World throughout the 2025 holiday season. Each of the four theme parks, plus Disney Springs, and the extra ticketed events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights, will feature special appearances by Santa. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for specific times and locations as your visit approaches!
Locations Santa may visit this holiday season:
- Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland, U.S.A., Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
- Walt Disney Presents, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- CommuniCore Hall, EPCOT
- Marketplace near Disney’s Pin Traders, Disney Springs
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Storybook Circus, Magic Kingdom Park
Disney Springs Santa –
There are two opportunities to meet Santa at Disney Springs.
Breakfast with Santa at Marie & Enzo’s takes place on multiple dates each December. This is more than just a meet and greet; you have an amazing breakfast lined up, and this is the only one that costs extra. $45-$79 per person. This holiday season, give your family an enchanted morning in the heart of the most magical place on Earth.
Start with a festive breakfast feast in our elegant dining room overlooking Lake Buena Vista, with take-home treats for the kids and a complimentary prosecco mimosa for the adults. Then, meet Santa Claus and take a keepsake photo with him and his elves!
Meet Santa – Visit Santa Claus at Santa’s Marketplace near Disney’s Pin Traders, from November 8 through December 24, 2025. Once you’ve arrived at Disney Springs, use the My Disney Experience app to enter the virtual queue to meet Santa Claus. There will be multiple opportunities to enter the virtual queue throughout the day, including 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 6:00 PM
To put the bow on top, Santa Claus will also be stopping by Disney Springs through December 24, where you can take festive photos and share holiday wishes with jolly old St. Nick.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom –
Greet Santa Claus in Dinoland – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park DinoLand U.S.A.
Visit with Santa Claus for some holiday magic on the patio of Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland, USA, from November 14 through December 24, 2025. Once serving as the original headquarters of the Dino Institute, this special section of Restaurantosaurus has been decked out for the holiday season. The students and faculty of Dino Institute have transformed the space for their annual Dino Institute Holiday Party-with festive music, dazzling lights, colorful stockings, vintage touches, and dinosaur décor.
Showtimes: 10:00 AM, 11:45 AM, 1:45 PM, 3:30 PM
Epcot Santa and Storytellers –
See Santa Claus – Visit with jolly old St. Nick and get a heartwarming holiday photo. CommuniCore Hall Daily starting November 28 through December 24, 2025. Times: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM, and 4:00 PM
Also, during the Epcot Festival of the Holidays, you can see international versions of Santa Claus called Storytellers. Throughout the holidays, World Showcase countries share their legends and lore of the season with Storytellers and entertainment. The presentations are typically around 20 minutes in length and are offered in a standing-only location.
- A Mischievous Magical Barn Santa (Norway): Mischievous Barn Santa visits Sigrid, a Christmas storyteller.
- La Befana (Italy): Hear the story of La Befana, the kind-hearted witch who visits sleeping young children on the Eve of the Epiphany.
- Père Noël (France): Visit with Père Noël and rediscover the magic of Christmas through the letter of a child.
- Father Christmas (UK): Ring in the season with Father Christmas.
Santa Goofy Greeting at The Odyssey – The Odyssey will be decked with festive delights that make every visit feel like a celebration. Step into Glittering Grove presented by Balsam Hill, where a breathtaking display of faux trees creates a winter wonderland of shimmering lights and elegant ornaments that are perfect for your holiday photos.
Nearby, you can spot Santa Goofy ready to spread laughter and cheer in his holiday best. This whimsical character greeting adds a playful twist to the season. For more information, be sure to check the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays entertainment webpage.
Celebrate the season by getting a jolly photo with Goofy—dressed in his bright red suit and ready to spread holiday cheer.
- Location: The Odyssey
- Dates: Daily through December 30, 2025
- Times: 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM and 4:10 PM to 7:10 PM
Disney’s Hollywood Studios –
Meet Santa – Santa Claus is officially meeting guests during the day at the Walt Disney Presents Theatre in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Santa started meeting families daily on November 8th, and his appearances kick off at 10:00 AM. This new location was revealed the same day Santa Duffy started greeting guests for Jollywood Nights. In past years, both Santa Claus and Santa Duffy shared the same location (though not at the same time) inside It’s a Wonderful Shoppe at the Muppets Courtyard.
In between his busy schedule, Santa Claus will also swing by each of the four theme parks across Walt Disney World to meet guests on the nice list this holiday season.
Santa Stitch – appearing at Celebrity Spotlight at Echo Lake during the Jollywood Nights Extra ticketed Party.
Guests can explore festive displays featuring props and artifacts from beloved films like Noelle, Babes in Toyland, The Muppets 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.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom –
Meet Santa – Storybook Circus during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, plus once the party wraps up for the season, Santa will be meeting day guests. He will stick around until Dec 24th, 2025. Then he is off to the North Pole to start delivering presents.
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus can be seen as the grand marshals of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade. Delight in an entertaining display chock-full of good cheer. Snap memorable photos of dancing gingerbread men, marching toy soldiers, and beloved Disney Characters as they float by, waving hello. There’s even a special appearance by Santa Claus—riding in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade begins each party night at 8:30 PM and 11:00 PM.
Santa Goofy – This can be found during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Storybook Circus.
Santa Jack – aka Sandy Claws and Sally meet at Town Square Theater nightly during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, an extra-ticketed event.
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 hopes 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.
