The holiday season has arrived, and so has Santa Claus! Though you would think jolly old St. Nick would be too busy, with the holidays coming up and all, to take a vacation, he’s here in town enjoying the seasonal fun of Orlando – after all, the elves can take care of all the Christmas preparations. And everyone, from families to pets, can track Santa down as he stops at a few Orlando Florida locations to hear a Christmas wish or two. You’ll be able to meet the big man in red, pose for a picture with him, and even sit on his lap, at these Orlando spots.

First, since Santa loves to shop for Orlando souvenirs, you can catch him at a few area malls. He’ll be stopping at the Mall at Millenia to take in the spectacular holiday decorations and pose with fans during mall hours (from 10 am to 9 pm on most days). Those who get their picture taken with Santa can opt for a candid color photo or a sepia-hued black and white photo, and every child who visits him receives a complimentary gift. You can also find Santa Claus at the Florida Mall and the Festival Bay Mall, where Santa will be available for pictures and even pets will be able to come and dress up with him on select nights.

And since Santa Claus will be doing plenty of sight-seeing during his Orlando vacation, you can see him at different cities throughout the Orlando area. At Old Town in Kissimmee, Santa will be available for photographs Monday through Friday from 5 pm to 8 pm; you can even receive a complimentary photo with him when you make a $5.00 donation to benefit the children of Devereux, Florida. Santa will also be visiting Uptown Altamonte every Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 pm to hear the strolling carolers, as well as Downtown Celebration during its nightly Now Snowing celebration. And on December 13th, Santa will be seeing the animals at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, and guests can join him for breakfast or brunch (reservations required).

In addition to all these spots, Santa will be stopping at Orlando theme parks during his vacation. You can catch him at Downtown Disney’s "Festival of the Seasons," where he’ll be posing with kids and pets alike from noon to 10 pm daily. However, if you happen to stop by Universal Studios during "Holiday Cheer You Can Only Hear Here" or Disney’s Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you just might also see Santa enjoying some holiday fun.

Finally, you can see meet Santa at the Gaylord Palms Resort, where he’s staying during his holiday vacation. St. Nick will be visiting with fans in the convention center daily (hours vary), though shy visitors can also opt to send him an e-mail at a kiosk near the ICE! entrance.

If you plan on catching Santa Claus in the parks, be sure to check out OrlandoFunTickets.com for discount theme park tickets. Otherwise, have fun catching Santa during his Orlando visit, and don’t be naughty, or he’ll know!