Sesame Place San Diego will be the first theme park of its kind on the West Coast, and it will open on March 26 to season pass holders in Chula Vista, according to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Sesame Workshop.
The Sesame Street-themed 17-acre attraction will feature a family-friendly roller coaster, attractions, musical play areas, and beloved characters from the show. According to CEO Mark Swanson, this is the first new themed park SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has opened since 2013.
It also has a 500,000-gallon wave pool, one of the largest in Southern California. Although Sesame Place San Diego is the first of its kind along the West Coast, it is the second in existence as its sister location is in Middletown Township, PA.
“Having spent part of my career with this company at the original Sesame Place in Pennsylvania and being part of its success, I’m looking forward to continuing the legacy on the West Coast and providing a fun place to visit where life-long memories are created as fans experience what they love about the iconic show in a new way,” Swanson said.
Sesame Place, which is built on the site formally known as Aquatica San Diego waterpark, will feature waterslides and aquatic attractions including Bert’s Topsy Turvy Tunnels, Snuffy’s Spaghetti Slides, Oscar’s Rotten Rafts, and Big Bird’s Rambling River. Big Bird’s Beach is a 500,000-gallon wave pool, while The Count’s Splash Castle is an interactive water play attraction.
Visitors of the Sesame Street Neighborhood will see an interactive Elmo’s Window attraction, a motion-sensing digital game called Bike Shop Tricycle Challenge, the Sesame Street Apartment Intercom, and the Sunny Day Carousel. Rides and attractions throughout the park include Cookie Climb, Elmo’s Rockin’ Rockets, and Super Grover’s Box Car Derby, a family-friendly coaster featuring hills, turns, and mini-dives.
“Since 1980, Sesame Place has been a key part of the Sesame Workshop extended family and mission of helping kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder,” said Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop CEO.“Sesame Place San Diego will offer kids and families an immersive opportunity to play and learn with their favorite furry friends, and continue enriching their experiences with Sesame Street.”
Sesame Place San Diego will open as a Certified Autism Center (CAC) as designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). Sesame Place San Diego will mirror Sesame Place Philadelphia, which was the first theme park in the world to achieve this designation.
Staff-wide autism sensitivity and awareness training will be completed before the park’s opening. Pre-visit planning resources are available, and a park-specific sensory guide will be featured on its website, making it easier for parents to plan activities that satisfy their child’s specific needs and accommodations.
