Are you wondering where you can see Santa at Disney Springs?
You can see Santa at Disney Springs from mid November to December 24th at Once Upon a Toy or, for a paid experience, you can eat breakfast with him at Maria and Enzo’s restaurant.
As someone who has visited Disney Springs during the Christmas holidays, I can confirm that Disney World is known as one of the most magical (and busiest!) places to celebrate the holidays. The Disney resort is full of Christmas magic from November to early January, from theme park decorations to unique characters.
You can even meet Santa Claus in all four of Disney World’s major theme parks, but you may be curious about how to meet Santa on the days you don’t have a ticket for Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. Fortunately for you, I’ve put together a guide on how to enjoy Christmas and the Holidays during your day in Disney Springs.
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My good friend Chantelle Kincy is a Disney travel expert who offers affordable itinerary planning services. I can personally attest to her professionalism and friendliness.
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Is there a Santa at Disney Springs?
Fortunately, you can meet Santa without having a theme park ticket. Meeting him in Disney Springs as opposed to the theme parks could be beneficial if you’d prefer to spend your time experiencing as many Disney attractions as possible.
Santa can be found at Once Upon a Toy in Disney Springs from mid-November to December 24th. During the 2022 holiday season, you joined a virtual queue early in the morning in order to meet him.
It has not yet been announced if the virtual queue will return, but the Disney World website is likely to post updates about the 2023 holiday season as we get closer to Christmas.
You can also meet Santa during breakfast at Maria and Enzo’s Ristorante.
Here’s where we recommend staying near Disney:
Best Hotel with Kitchen: ➡️ Towneplace Suites by Marriott
Best Hotel w/ Free Park Shuttle + Breakfast: ➡️ Drury Plaza Hotel
Best 2 Bedroom Suites: ➡️ Homewood Suites by Hilton
How to See Santa at Disney Springs
As mentioned above, it is likely you’ll need to join a virtual queue in the morning in order to meet Santa at Once Upon a Toy. Once you join the queue, you’ll be able to shop and dine in Disney Springs while you wait to be called to take your place in line.
If you’d prefer a more unique experience, I highly recommend checking out Maria and Enzo’s Breakfast with Santa!
>> Reservations for breakfast with Santa at Disney Springs are already available on Disney’s website for those who like to plan events in advance.
Children’s tickets are $45 per person and adult tickets are $69 or $79 per person, depending on if you want to pay extra for premium seating. The entire experience includes a family-style breakfast, a visit and family photo with Santa, treats to bring home, holiday activities, and two Prosecco mimosas for those aged 21 and up. Children 2 and under can attend for free!
Overview of the Holidays at Disney Springs
One of the highlights of the Holidays at Disney Springs is the Christmas Tree Stroll. This complimentary event starts around the second week of November and goes through the end of December. About 20 trees can be found all throughout Disney Springs, and are decorated to reflect various Disney characters, films, and attractions. In 2022, they had trees to represent Frozen, The Lion King, the Haunted Mansion, and more!
You can either just enjoy the different trees and decorations, or pick up a map where you’ll place the matching stickers in each location, similar to a scavenger hunt.
Holiday Shopping at Disney Springs
There’s no better place to shop for the Disney lovers in your life than Disney Springs. In fact, even the cast members said it was the best place in the parks to shop! Don’t miss the insane amount of stores offered in this shopping center. Wind up a long day with a nice drink at one of the many restaurants and bars.
Disney Springs Christmas Store
You don’t have to wait for December to get your daily dose of Christmas magic. Disney’s Days of Christmas is a year-round Marketplace store that sells Disney-themed holiday decor. Whether it’s February or July, you can buy Disney ornaments, stockings, and more! It’s the perfect shop for those who just can’t wait for November to start feeling the Christmas magic.
Marketplace
The World of Disney is the place to do all of your Disney shopping. It’s the largest collection of Disney merchandise in Disney World. From November to December, you can typically find various Christmas merchandise. This shopping destination has everything from Christmas gifts to home decor to ornaments. You’ll even be able to find festive Minnie ears and clothing here to wear during your Disney vacation!
The Landing
Over at The Landing, you can check out fun boutiques such as the Art of Shaving and Chapel Hats! While you may not find much Christmas merchandise in any of The Landing’s shops, you will be able to find plenty of places to help you finish your holiday shopping early.
West Side
DisneyStyle is a fantastic place to take care of some of your Christmas shopping. This shop sells trendy shirts and other apparel inspired by your favorite Disney characters! While it is not guaranteed they’ll have Christmas-inspired merchandise, it is always worth checking out to see the new styles they have on display!
Disney Springs Christmas Seasonal Dining Options
During the holiday season at Disney Springs, you can find limited-time offerings in the form of delicious meals and treats!
✅ Amorette’s Patisserie always has seasonal treats such as small cakes and themed chocolate piñatas.
✅ I also recommend heading over to Marketplace Snack where you can get a delicious Waffle Sundae. During the holiday season, they usually have themed treats to make your dessert even more festive!
✅ Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar turns into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar starting in November! You’ll be able to order from a limited-time menu and enjoy magical holiday decor!
✅ Swirls on the Water is another fantastic dessert stand where you can find festive soft-serve ice cream. In 2022, you could get peppermint ice cream nachos to help you really get into the Christmas spirit.
✅ The Ganachery is one of my favorite places to find a sweet treat in Disney Springs. They’re constantly changing their menu to offer guests the most unique flavors of chocolate. Be sure to stop by in November and December to see what holiday-themed treats they have available!
✅ And finally, don’t forget to check out Gideons! Even if you don’t try their seasonal cookie, you’ll want to at least try their traditional (nearly) half-pound chocolate chip cookie.
Santa at Disney World
Disney Springs isn’t the only place to find Santa in Disney World. He can also be found in the four major theme parks, as well as one of Disney’s water parks!
In Magic Kingdom, you can meet Santa at the Liberty Square Gazebo, but only during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Over at Storybook Circus, you can also find Santa Goofy! Both are fairly popular, so be prepared to spend a good amount of time waiting in line for your photo.
If you don’t want to spend your evening waiting in line, you can get a glimpse of Santa at the end of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.
Over in Animal Kingdom, you used to be able to see Santa on his festive flotilla along the Discovery River. This was a new way to “meet” characters during the height of the pandemic, and it is unclear if it will return in 2023.
At Hollywood Studios, Santa rides on the back of his red motorcade down Hollywood Boulevard. If you book dining reservations at Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine, you can meet Santa Goofy, along with Minnie, Mickey, and Pluto in their holiday attire.
In EPCOT, you can meet Santa at the Odyssey Pavilion. You can check the My Disney Experience app to see what times Santa will be available for photos and meet and greets.
You can also see different versions of Santa Claus around the World Showcase. For example, Père Noël can be seen in France, and Father Christmas can be found walking around the United Kingdom Pavilion.
Need help planning your dream trip to Disney?
My good friend Chantelle Kincy is a Disney travel expert who offers affordable itinerary planning services. I can personally attest to her professionalism and friendliness.
➡️ Click here for more info
FAQs
Can you take pictures with Santa at Disney?
Yes! As long as he is not in a parade or part of a performance, Santa is available for photos and typically is seen with a Disney cast member photographer.
Does Disney Springs have Christmas decorations?
Even if you don’t take advantage of the special dining and shopping options in Disney Springs, you can still enjoy the decor and atmosphere!
Is Disney Springs Open on Christmas Day?
Disney rarely closes. When it does, it is usually for safety reasons due to hurricanes or storms. You’ll be able to visit both Disney Springs and the theme parks on Christmas Day.
When does Disney Springs decorate for Christmas 2023?
Christmas decorations are usually up within the first week or two of November. They stay up until December 25th, and many of them can still be seen going into the first week of January.
In Recap: Santa at Disney Springs
Whether you’re in the parks or at Disney Springs, you can find some Christmas joy during your Disney vacation. They say that Santa knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you’re awake.
He also knows when you’re on vacation in Disney World, so even though you’re away from home for the holidays, he’ll still be able to find you to ensure that you and your family get some Christmas magic.
Beth McCarter is the lead writer and CEO of The Travel Fam. Her first trip to Disney was spent in a double stroller next to her baby brother. She’s been to Disney too many times to count; her favorite ride is the Haunted Mansion and she loves the Animal Kingdom. She enjoys planning holiday trips to Disney with her husband and two children.