Magic Kingdom's Santa spot in Storybook Circus opens to all guests on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, Disney says. At Animal Kingdom's new Santa's Holiday Grove, Goofy takes over the Santa suit from Dec. 25 to Jan. 3.
Santa Claus has a spot at all four Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs this year, and Disney posted the full lineup Friday, the first day of the resort's holiday season.
The newest stop is Santa's Holiday Grove at Disney's Animal Kingdom, which opened Nov. 13. Disney's listing showed four Santa times on opening day: 10 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 5 p.m., BlogMickey reported.
Every location wraps up on Dec. 24, when Santa has a prior commitment.
Where is Santa at each Disney World park in 2026?
Here's where and when Disney says you can find him:
Animal Kingdom: Santa's Holiday Grove, across from Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! at Theater in the Wild. Nov. 13 to Dec. 24.
Hollywood Studios: Walt Disney Presents in Animation Courtyard. Now through Dec. 24.
EPCOT: CommuniCore Hall. Nov. 27 to Dec. 24.
Magic Kingdom: Storybook Circus. Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving Day) to Dec. 24.
Disney Springs: Santa's workshop near Disney's Pin Traders. Now through Dec. 24, by virtual queue only.
What's new at Santa's Holiday Grove?
Guests follow a trail with intermittent snow flurries and a holiday soundtrack to reach Santa's campsite along the Discovery River. Disney says the Grove also has specialty food and drinks.
The set is dressed with handcrafted toys and sculptures from Santa's travels, plus his tools, maps and navigational instruments. James Silson, show director at Disney Live Entertainment, said Santa has "made a special stop along the Discovery River."
Santa's last day at the Grove is Dec. 24. From Dec. 25 through Jan. 3, Goofy dressed as Santa takes over, so families visiting between Christmas and New Year's can still get a Santa photo there.
Santa spent the last two seasons on the Restaurantosaurus patio in DinoLand USA, which closed for good Feb. 2, 2026, to make way for Tropical Americas.
Can you meet Santa at Magic Kingdom without a party ticket?
Yes, starting Thanksgiving Day. Disney says Santa's Storybook Circus spot is open to "all guests" from Nov. 26 through Dec. 24. Before Thanksgiving, our earlier check found Santa there only during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, which needs a separate ticket.
Santa also rides his sleigh at the end of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade on Main Street, U.S.A., which runs on party nights.
How do you meet Santa at Hollywood Studios and EPCOT?
At Hollywood Studios, Santa meets guests in Walt Disney Presents, which Disney says feels like his cozy toy shop. The building also has a new holiday exhibit, and its theater is showing classic shorts like Pluto's Christmas Tree and The Art of Skiing for a limited time.
Disney's listing showed 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. when we checked last week. On Disney Jollywood Nights, look for Duffy dressed as Santa instead.
EPCOT's Santa arrives with the Festival of the Holidays on Nov. 27, in a wintry corner of CommuniCore Hall next to a Spaceship Earth gingerbread display. Goofy dressed as Santa poses at The Odyssey, and World Showcase has Pere Noel in France and Barn Santa in Norway.
How does the Santa virtual queue at Disney Springs work?
Disney Springs is free to visit, so this is the no-ticket option. There's no standby line. Join the virtual queue in the My Disney Experience app while you're at Disney Springs.
When we covered the opening, Disney listed join times of 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., and one person can join for a party of up to 10. Spots can go in seconds, so set an alarm.
After your visit, there are free milk and cookies. Disney Food Blog got Bauducco Choco Biscuits and TruMoo milk on its trip.
How do you get photos with Santa at Disney World?
PhotoPass photographers are working at all four parks and Disney Springs with holiday props and Magic Shots, BlogMickey said. If you plan to see more than one Santa, Memory Maker covers downloads of all of those photos.
Santa runs on a tight schedule this time of year. Check the My Disney Experience app for each day's times before you go.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Disney Parks Blog (Nov. 13, 2026), every Santa location and date, the Magic Kingdom all-guest meet, Goofy as Santa and the Grove details
BlogMickey (Nov. 13, 2026), Santa's Holiday Grove opening-day times, the James Silson quote, DinoLand history and PhotoPass details
Disney Food Blog (Nov. 12, 2026), the Disney Springs milk and cookies
AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.