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Santa Claus Sightings Coming to Disney Springs This Holiday Season

With lots of character sightings returning to the Walt Disney World Resort recently, we are excited to share the news of a very special experience returning just for the holiday season at Disney Springs.

Santa Claus beams with holiday cheer next to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree at Disney Springs, surrounded by dazzling lights and festively wrapped presents, creating a magical seasonal atmosphere for guests.
Credit: Disney

Santa Claus will be returning once again to Walt Disney World's unique shopping, dining, and entertainment complex to share the spirit of the season through physically distanced photo opps with Guests. (Walt Disney World recently changed the language for character interactions from meet and greets to sightings, and seeing Santa Claus will follow suit as a sighting. The change is meant to imply physical distancing during the encounter.)

Guests will be able to find Santa inside the Once Upon a Toy store on select dates in Disney Springs. Similarly to how this experience has operated in past holiday seasons, a virtual queue will be available for Guests in the store so they can shop while waiting for their photo to be taken. Disney PhotoPass photographers will be inside the store to take photos for Guests, so if you happen to have purchased Memory Maker you will find this photo is included. If you have not already purchased a photo package, or would simply like a print, photos are also available for purchase.

A young Disney fan in Mickey Mouse ears and a vibrant sweater enjoys the festive holiday lights at Disney Springs, happily holding hands with an adult during the Holiday Season.
Credit: Disney

Santa Claus will be available to greet Guests inside Once Upon a Toy Nov. 12-Dec. 14 from 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., and Dec. 15-Dec. 24 from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Walt Disney World continues to run under an indoor mask requirement, so please note that masks will be required for this sighting as the entire experience takes place within the Once Upon a Toy Store.

Outdoors, at the AdventHealth Waterside Stage, Guests will find DJs playing favorite current hits and holiday tunes. During both the daytime and evenings in Disney Springs Guests will find live entertainment like toy soldier stilt walkers and snowflake skaters. You may even catch a little “snow” around the Town Center neighborhood of Disney Springs!

disney springs tree christmas holiday
Credit: Disney

Disney Springs has even more festivities happening during the holiday season with limited time sweets and treats, the return of the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll, and more. We will keep you updated here on Disney Fanatic as we learn more about what this holiday season will bring to Walt Disney World!

Brittany DiCologero

Brittany is a New England-based writer focused on the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. She is the author of "Red, White, and Disney: The Myths and Reality of American History at the Walt Disney World Resort," and "Brittany Earns Her Ears."

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