Can You Meet Santa at Disneyland? Here’s Where to Find Him During the Holidays

by Heather Adams | Oct 30, 2025 | Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland, Disneyland Parks, Disneyland Resorts

Discover where you can meet Santa at Disneyland Resort and share your seasonal wishlist with a one-on-one encounter (and some holiday photos!)

If you’re searching for a bit of seasonal fun beyond all of the exciting holiday decorations, attraction overlays and festival food found at Disneyland Resort during the holidays, we’ve got the perfect activity: meet Santa! During November and December each year, Santa appears to greet guests, snap photos, and chat about Christmas lists. You can meet Santa Claus at various locations throughout Disneyland, giving you the perfect opportunity to share your own holiday wishes with him.

We’ve rounded up all of these locations below so you know exactly where you can meet Santa himself during your next Disneyland visit.

The Short Version: You’ll find Santa Claus at Disneyland Park, California Adventure, and all three Disneyland Resort hotels during the holiday season. He’ll greet guests in the theme parks from November 14 through December 24, and he’ll be at the hotels from November 27 to December 24.

Meet Santa at Disneyland’s Theme Parks

Photo by Jaysen White

You can meet Santa Claus at both of Disneyland Resort’s theme parks! Each theme park offers a designated meet and greet spot for the main man of the holiday season, and this makes it easy to have a dedicated chat (and photo opportunity) with him while you’re visiting.

At Disneyland Park, you can meet Santa in Fantasyland at Fantasyland Theatre. Inside Fantasyland Theatre, you’ll find Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends!, a seasonal offering that’s returning in 2025 for its second year. Families will find crafts, holiday sing-alongs, and plenty of holiday photo opportunities – including the chance to meet Santa (and some beloved Disney characters, too). Santa greets guests daily from November 14 through December 24.

At Disney California Adventure Park, you can meet Santa in the Grizzly Peak area, inside Redwood Creek Challenge Trail from November 14 to December 24. With a festive outdoor setup, Santa Claus is sitting in a winter wonderland inspired by the redwood forests of California. After Santa’s big night on December 24, you can head here to catch Santa Goofy from December 25 through January 7.

Meet Santa at Disneyland’s Hotels

You can head over to the Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Pixar Place Hotel to meet Santa, too. These outside-the-parks meet and greet spots don’t require a theme park reservation or a ticket, so they’re a fantastic (and free!) opportunity to snap a seasonal photo with Santa.

Santa will arrive at all three Disneyland Resort hotels on November 27, 2025.

At the Disneyland Hotel, you’ll find Santa right inside the main lobby, with a setup that’s photo-ready.

Similarly, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, you can meet Santa in the Great Hall, right in front of the towering, decked-out Christmas tree. For a more classic holiday feel, this is a great spot for both a meet and greet and a photo.

Over at Pixar Place Hotel, Santa greets guests in the main lobby. This location features a few more Pixar and Disney characters due to its colorful and themed setting, but there are still plenty of holiday touches around.

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Posts by Heather Adams

Heather Adams, Disney Parks Expert | Heather Adams grew up at Disneyland, and as a result she knows every last inch of the resort's two theme parks, three hotels, and the surrounding Good Neighbor hotels. As a Disneyland expert with more than three decades of knowledge, Adams has also honed her Disney World knowledge with multiple trips to the Orlando theme parks. When she's not spending the day at a Disney Park, Adams is brushing up on breaking Disney news, history, and more. As a writer, editor, and content strategist with more than 15 years of experience, you can find her work at Clean Eating Magazine, The Drive, Yoga Journal, Outside, and other outlets.