Don’t Miss Santa’s Christmas Carnival During Mickey’s Christmas Party

During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Storybook Circus transforms into Santa’s Christmas Carnival, a winter wonderland, complete with falling faux snow, festive decor, and multiple meet-and-greet locations, including Santa Claus. Surprisingly, we spent more time at Santa’s Christmas Carnival during the party than we did anywhere else. The area is just so beautiful on party nights. It’s kind of mesmerizing.

Christmas Party Offerings at Santa Christmas Carnival

Here are the offerings at Santa’s Christmas Carnival during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Character Meet-and-Greets

• Meet Donald, Daisy, and Scrooge in Christmas Outfits at Pete’s Silly Sideshow
• Meet Pluto at the Barnstormer Courtyard
• Meet Polar Bears at the Entrance of Storybook Circus
• Meet Santa Claus in the Calliope Tent

Treat Location

• Mickey Pretzel and Red Punch at the Fantasyland Train Station

Entertainment

• Balancing Act

Attractions

• Dumbo, the Flying Elephant
• The Barnstormer

Plus, you’ll want to walk around and see all of the stunning holiday decorations, lights, and projections.

We started our evening at Pete’s Silly Sideshow, which is toward the back of Storybook Circus. This is where Donald and Daisy Duck have a holiday meet-and-greet with Scrooge. Expect a long line, but the photo opportunity is one-of-a-kind.

Next, we found Pluto in front of the Barnstormer. He was wearing a special collar at his holiday meet-and-greet.

A couple of Santa’s Polar Bears were meeting guests near the entrance of Santa’s Christmas Carnival.

Of course, the big deal was the Santa Claus meet-and-greet. It was at the top of my list of meet-and-greets for the evening.

A cast member told us that Santa comes out at 6:00 p.m. to meet guests ahead of the start of the Christmas Party. So I took a few of these photos ahead of time.

It’s a beautiful meet-and-greet location and makes for a festive photo opportunity. Here are a few more photos.

Unfortunately, every time I went to get in line, a minimum of 40-50 guests were already waiting. The photo taken below was at 10:40 p.m. after the evening fireworks. It was about the third time I walked by to check the line, and by that time, it was pretty cold outside. I didn’t have it in me to wait that long in the cold after already being outside most of the evening.

So I grabbed a quick photo so you could see the setup with Santa.

While you’re in the area, you might also stop and get a snowman-shaped pretzel and holiday punch at the Fantasyland Train Station. The pretzel was a fun treat visually, but mine was pretty mediocre as far as taste goes.

This location also has Lemon Burst mini cookies as an allergy-friendly selection. They were tasty. We have a complete list of cookie flavors and locations for this year’s party if you want to learn more.

A group of performers dressed like elves entertained guests in front of Big Top Souvenirs throughout the evening.

I believe this group is called a Balancing Act, and that they sometimes perform on Disney’s BoardWalk.

Overall, the best part of Santa’s Christmas Carnival is the decorations. It’s just a magical place to wander through during the party. Unfortunately, you won’t get the full experience on a regular night when the party isn’t offered.

Between the Dumbo-themed decorations, faux snow, and light projections, the space comes alive after dark. Here are a few more photos.

If you’re attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this holiday season, make sure to spend some time at Santa’s Christmas Carnival. If you’re hoping to meet Santa, get there early. For more planning details, see our entire party guide:

If you’re looking to plan a Disney World vacation, our friends at Firefly Travels are available to help. For more on the holiday season, see our 2025 Christmas Planning Guide. New details and photos are added often, so make sure to revisit Resorts Gal soon!

In the Comments

What do you think of Santa’s Christmas Carnival? Did you realize it was decorated so beautifully for the party? Let us know in the comments.