You can meet Santa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the new Santa’s Holiday Grove from November 13 through December 24, 2026. The grove sits across from Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! at Theater in the Wild, with snow flurries, holiday food and drinks, and Christmas music. Goofy dressed as Santa takes over from December 25 through January 3. Last year, Santa met guests at Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand, which is now closed for Tropical Americas.
We walked it: We got to see the new spot for ourselves. Santa’s Holiday Grove is on the walkway from the Tropical Americas construction walls to the Finding Nemo show building. Rivers of Light seating area will be used for Santa.
What it looks like: A wooden Santa’s Holiday Grove sign hangs over the entrance. The path is lined with tall wooden posts painted with red, green and gold folk art swirls. Each post holds lights and speakers. Potted evergreens and magnolia trees in burlap line both sides of the walk, and there are benches along the way.
Santa’s campsite: Disney says the story is that Santa stopped along the Discovery River on his trip around the world. His campsite has handcrafted toys and sculptures from his travels, tools for finishing a few more gifts, and the maps and instruments he uses to plan his next stop.
The details:
- Santa: November 13 to December 24
- Goofy dressed as Santa: December 25 to January 3
- Where: Across from Theater in the Wild, home of Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- Extras: Snow flurries, holiday music, and specialty food and drinks
Disney has not named the food and drink items or posted Santa’s hours yet. Check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit.
More holiday fun at Animal Kingdom: The Merry Menagerie animal puppets are back on Discovery Island, and the Tree of Life Awakenings has its holiday show at night.
Our take: This is a great spot for Santa. It is right on the path between Tropical Americas and the Finding Nemo show building, so you will walk past it anyway. The trees and painted posts make it feel like a real winter campsite, even in Florida.
