Are You Naughty or Nice? Discovering Santa’s List at Dollywood
If you’re looking for more than just a “visit Santa” moment this holiday, you’ll want to add the Santa’s List experience at Dollywood to your must-do list. This immersive, interactive encounter is one of the most magical parts of the park’s Christmas event and gives kids (and adults!) something truly memorable to take away.
Smoky Mountain Christmas Dates
Smoky Mountain Christmas for the 2025 season will run November 1, 2025 – January 4, 2026. Here is the current operating schedule. Santa’s List will be available daily during the festival through December 23, 2025 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Inside Santa’s Workshop: A Sneak Peek (Spoiler Alert!)
As you make your way to the Village area, aim for the charming setting of the Heartsong Theater. Here, the fun begins even before you step in. You’ll be greeted by one of Santa’s elves, full of personality and charm, who will amuse your group by collecting names, engaging in light games, and getting everyone in the Christmas spirit.
Once you’re inside the theater, you’ll receive paper, an envelope and pencils and yes, you’ll even write a wish list. There’s a mailbox to “send” your list to Santa himself.
This time was honestly one of the most memorable parts of our trip to Dollywood. We laughed so much during a game of “Can you guess the Christmas Song we are acting out” with our elf. The interactions from the time we walked up to the theater made the wait for our experience seem so short and kept all of our kids engaged. We were sad to leave Cornbread, our elf, behind when it was our turn to get a look inside Santa’s cabin. We are hoping when we visit again this year we will be fortunate enough to get to see Cornbread again.
A Festive Journey Through Winter Wonderland
The doors opened and we were escorted into a winter wonderland where we met another one of Santa’s elves. We were greeted with beautiful Christmas trees adorned with lights as far as the eye can see. A light snow was falling and Christmas carols were playing in the background. We were given a number to stand on and waited our turn to cross the bridge to Santa’s Cabin.
Our elf told us that we were going to be walking across the bridge soon, right up to Santa’s Cabin, and he would be hard at work deciding who belonged on the nice and naughty list. Excitement built for the children and children at heart as they peered across the sea of lit trees and waited for their chance to get a peek at Santa. The glow of Christmas magic was all over their little faces.
Spotting Santa: A Magical Moment
It was finally our turn. Santa was busy studying his to-do list when we arrived. He needed to check on the elves, call Dolly, watch the weather for his flight, and eat his cookies! The kids realized that the letters they mailed were laying on Santa’s desk. Santa then started reading their letters and much to our delight, the kids were so excited he was looking at their wish list!
Next he grabs his list…. “THE LIST”…. and opened it up and their eyes lit up when they saw their names on the NICE list! Our elf asked everyone to turn around and smile at her for a picture and Santa jumped in! We bid him farewell so he could finish working on other kids’ lists before the big day! Of course this picture is available for purchase at Dollywood. You will have the option to just purchase a single picture or a package to share with the whole family! They even have ornaments for the tree!
Our Holiday Verdict: Naughty or Nice?
Don’t miss this experience! It is very unique and a lot of fun! We recommend starting your day here. The park opens at 11 am on operating days for the Smoky Mountain Christmas season. Arrive around 10:00 am and take advantage of the VIP parking. Trust us, it’s worth it. Enter into the park through your very own private entrance and head straight to the Village where Heartsong Theater is. You will see Santa’s cheerful elf waiting for you, a tablet in hand. Most people will head to the rides first and then do the Santa’s List experience later or just happen upon it when they are riding the carousel. This makes for very long lines later in the day as well as missed time seeing all the Christmas lights after dark, which is one of the reasons to visit this time of year. Have you done Santa’s List! We would love for you to share some pictures and your thoughts with us! Head over to our contact to submit those!
