Santa's At Macy's, But This Year You Need An Appointment To Visit

NEW YORK, NY — Santa Claus may be coming to town, but you can't see him without a reservation.

For the first time every, Macy's flagship store on West 34th Street is offering the chance to sit on Saint Nick's lap by appointment only.

Starting Monday, families can sign up for a time slot from 30 minutes to five days in advance. Admission is free to Santaland Herald Square and runs from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve.

Macy's says the new arrangement is intended to cut down on wait times and make it easier to see the man in the red suit.

"Santa's a popular guy, so the wait times to meet him have been quite long in previous years, especially on our busiest days," the company said.

Santaland is a 13,000-square-foot North Pole village complete with live elves and a train display, plus the store's world-famous Santa, immortalized in the film "Miracle on 34th Street."

The department store says families can cancel a reservation and make a new one at any time. Spokeswoman Julie Strider said that people can also reserve a spot at a kiosk at the store.

And they say don't be too early or late for the time slot and be sure to check in with an elf when arriving.

"Santa's day is packed! To help keep him on schedule, please arrive within your time slot," the company said.

Lead image: AP Photo/Julie Jacobson). Santa Claus waves from his float as he passes along Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in 2016,.