New Sesame Place San Diego is Open for Fun

Who doesn’t love Sesame Street? When our girls were little, Sesame Street was an important part of our lives. The memorable characters from this popular TV show helped teach them how to count and how to spell simple words. Perhaps more importantly, the show helped them understand human interaction, right from wrong, and the joy of friendship. Now Sesame Street has become a regular live experience for kids of all ages. Sesame Place San Diego is open for fun times as a theme park, and it’s ready to welcome your family to the neighborhood.

The gang’s all here at Sesame Place San Diego, located in Chula Vista next to the North Island Federal Credit Union Amphitheater. All the characters we know and love are present as live characters as well as themes worked into park experiences. The effect is deeply immersive and highly interactive. And it’s so well done.

Sesame Place San Diego encompasses 17 acres and offers 18 rides as well as many experiences. An interactive Sesame Street neighborhood greets guests as soon as they enter the park. In addition, there is a fun and colorful character parade, a live stage show, story time with characters and much more.

Sesame Place San Diego is Open

Officially welcoming its first guests on March 26, Sesame Place San Diego is open to kids of all ages. That includes parents, because even as the dad of young adults I still wore a huge smile while enjoying the park offerings. I mean, who can help but feel happy at the sight of Sesame Street’s characters. Elmo, Bert & Ernie, Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster and more are present to entertain guests.

A joint venture between SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Sesame Street Workshop, Sesame Place San Diego is open on the former site of the Aquatica water park. Newly imagined and dramatically reconfigured, Sesame Place retains some of the water park’s slides and wet attractions. New additions include many rides and experiences on dry land for those uninterested in getting wet.

The overall experience is not inexpensive, but we think it’s definitely worth the price. (More on those details towards the end of this post.)

Rides at Sesame Place San Diego

There are a variety of rides at Sesame Place San Diego, and they range from entry level for small kids all the way through family fun that adults can enjoy. Rides are rated based on minimum height requirements, some requiring smaller riders to be accompanied by an adult.

For the wet rides, guests under a certain height must wear life vests which are readily available in various sizes.

Wet Experiences at Sesame Place

There is a long list of wet experiences at Sesame Place San Diego. All of them have been reimagined and adapted to the Sesame Street theme, with options for the youngest all the way to adults.

• Abby’s Paradise Pool – area available to cabana guests with a wristband entrance
• Bert’s Topsy Turvy Tunnels – three 60-foot tube rides (opens Summer 2022)
• Big Bird’s Beach – family-friendly wave pool with sandy beach
• Big Bird’s Rambling River – lazy river with single or double tubes
• Cookie’s Monster Mixer – family ride with 4-person rafts
• Elmo’s Silly Sand Slides – slippery slides for the younger crowd
• Ernie’s Twisty Turny Tunnels – three 60-foot tube rides (opens Summer 2022)
• Honker Dinger Dash – race family and friends on mats in one of six tubes

  

• Oscar’s Rotten Rafts – family-sized rafts slide through twists and turns
• Snuffy’s Spaghetti Slides – Six different 60-foot body slides
• The Count’s Splash Castle – multi-level interactive water play

Dry Experiences at Sesame Place

If getting wet is not your thing or you want to experience both wet and dry, Sesame Street has got your covered.

• Abby’s Fairy Flight – flying swing ride for the whole family
• Cookie Climb – pull yourself to the top and glide down
• Elmo’s Rockin’ Rockets – space ships fly in a circle up, down and all around
• Rub-A-Dub Sub – around and around, both forward and backward
• Sesame Street Soar & Spin – soar and spin with bird’s-eye-view
• Sunny Day Carousel – colorful and classic merry-go-round
• Super Grover’s Box Car Derby – family-friendly roller coaster

Interaction & Entertainment at Sesame Place

Right as guests enter the park, they are greeted by a recreation of the actual Sesame Street neighborhood. Watching the smiles on kids’ faces here is priceless as they spy their favorite characters walking around in real life. Park designers were intentional in creating an interactive area where visitors can truly engage with the park theme.

There are seven major interactive elements to Sesame Place.

1. Bike Shop Tricycle Challenge – motion sensor digital game
2. Two-Headed Monster Pipe Telephone – speak ionto the pipe and watch his reactions
3. Elmo’s Window – comes to life to encourage guests to play, dance and sing with Elmo
4. Bert & Ernie’s Doorbell – ring the bell for fun responses
5. Sesame Street Apartment Intercom – press the numbers to hear characters respond
6. Laundromat – pop digital bubbles for messages and clues
7. Oscar’s Trash Can – knock on the can for a grouchy response

In addition, the whole park is filled with entertainment even if guests never get on a ride. At the live stage, a show called Welcome to Our Street features characters welcoming their new friends to Sesame Street. Each characters has their own special way of playing a role with singing, dancing and more.

And who doesn’t love a good parade? The award-winning Sesame Street Party Parade is a colorful, boisterous and fun romp filled with favorite Sesame Street characters.

Certified Autism Center

Sesame Place San Diego has been designated as a Certified Autism Center by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This means the park is uniquely suited to fulfill the needs of every family and offer specialized programs for people with autism. For example, the park has created special quiet rooms for guests who need a break from the action. They have also created a guide to help families understand how to visit rides and areas of the park with members who have sensory issues.

Visit Sesame Place San Diego

Since Sesame Place San Diego is open for fun now, there are a few things you need to know.

• Sesame Place San Diego ticket prices range from $64.99 for a one day pass.
• Season passes begin at $132/year. A season pass is also available for those wanting regular access to both Sesame Place and SeaWorld San Diego for the price of $.
• Cabana rentals (we encourage this so your family has a place to rest and relax) start at $ for the day.
• Paid parking starts at $.
• Bring a change of clothes if you plan to get wet. There are pay lockers and changing rooms.
• Check the website for days and hours the park is open, which vary according to vacation schedules until the summer. During summer the park will be open 7 days/week.

Click here for directions to 2052 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista.