How to meet Santa Claus in Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios offers a meet with Santa Claus. This is an unusual move because Santa Goofy always met in this park on the former backlot. Santa didn't just move into the Studios park, he brought some serious class to the meet and greet. This is the most beautiful location where you can meet Santa in all of Walt Disney World now!
Where is Santa?
Santa is located inside the Carthay Circle building on the end that is known as "Once Upon a Time." It is located right beside Beauty and the Beast.
You'll find this building. Just past this entrance on the right hand side is a small podium. If you arrive and the line is more than 30 minutes long, a Cast Member will provide you with a pager that will notify you when you can return to meet Santa Claus.
The pager only works along Sunset Boulevard from the Tower of Terror back to the crossroad street with Hollywood Boulevard. It's a nice step to try to accommodate your guests with as short of a wait time as possible, but I've wondered for a couple of years why they don't just use Text Message notification for this purpose. You could be anywhere in Hollywood Studios (or Disney Springs for that meet) and it would notify you to return for the meet.
When should you meet Santa in Hollywood Studios?
I recommend arriving by 9:45am. His schedule on the Times Guide says 10:00am to Closing, but he actually begins at 9:45am and has very specific set times and breaks in between. I detail those on Character Locator, but it's best to just plan to arrive around 9:30 to 9:45am and wait without the need of a pager.
What does the meet and greet look like?
In my opinion it's the most beautiful Santa Claus photo in all of Walt Disney World. Santa also meets in Disney Springs from mid-November, Epcot after Thanksgiving and Magic Kingdom after the final Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. He doesn't meet in Animal Kingdom, but Santa Goofy does!
I love the details of Santa's trees with the little elves and reindeer.
Here's the set with Santa Claus.
Does this Santa meet offer Photopass service?
Yes all the Santa meet and greet locations offer Photopass / Memory Maker photo service and they are willing to take photos with your personal imaging device as well.
The couch is big enough to accomodate the family with Santa holding little Junior on his knee.
I think I want to decorate my living room like this for Christmas!
When will Santa Goofy be at Disney Springs this year?
Christmas day
Only Christmas Day?
Beginning...
Only Christmas Day?
Was at Disney Springs today...no Santa Goofy this year. :(
You could do both. Kona Cafe asks if I want a text message but they have pagers if I say no
Text messages wouldn’t work for International guests. Disney tries to be inclusive to all visitors. I love the page option instead of waiting in line for over an hour.
Great article Kenny as ever. Is there any news on a 2017 return for the Santa meet? If so do you know when it starts? We're there from Nov' 4th thru 18th. Thanks.
We're too far away to have any knowledge of Christmas activities. It will be listed on http://www.characterlocator.com just as soon as I hear any details.
Thank you so much! Here the post with credits and link.
Merry Christmas!!
http://andrezadicaeindica.com.br/onde-encontrar-o-papai-noel-na-disney.html
Kenny,
Can I use one of these pictures in my blog (with credits, of course)?
Thank you very much
Yes, that's fine with credit link given.
How long do you have to return after being paged?
Supposed to be 30 minutes, but they are pretty flexible
We heard Santa Goofy will take Santa Claus's place after Christmas, is this true?
Christmas day through NYE
The only problem with sending a text message is that not everyone has data coverage while in the U.S. I am from Canada and my phone is only on roaming the day I arrive and the day I leave otherwise it costs me too much money.
Pagers could be available for guests that can't or don't use the free wifi?
We just got done with Indiana Jones when we got the page. Seemed to work fine in that location.
Thanks for letting us know. I was going by what the lady at the kiosk had told me. Always good to have first hand input!
It's absolutely beautiful! Great move Disney!!
I would rather Goofy Santa :(. I can see santa all over the place, mall, store, carnival. I can only see Santa Goofy at Disney. :(
Santa Goofy is in Animal Kingdom.