Sesame Place Philadelphia

**Sesame Place Philadephia** is a theme park dedicated to the children's show *Sesame Street* located in Langhorne, PA, about 30 minutes north of Philadelphia and an hour and a half south from New York City. For the 2018 season, became the first theme park became a Certified Autism Center. This would be followed by Orlando parks (Aquatica, Discovery Cove, and SeaWorld respectively).

## History

### Development

On June 27, 1979, Sesame Place broke ground with help of the New Approach Method daycare center. It was a joint venture between Busch Gardens Entertainment and Children Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop). The park opened July 30, 1980 by Big Bird.

### Early Years

Even if the early years, the city was thinking that Sesame Place was an amusement park and demanded a tax for said reason, but it was refuted. In similar vain to Great Adventure across the Delaware, the park added duplicates of its popular attractions for its second season. Unlike with Great Adventure, many of them did not last. The Second Ernie's Bed Bounce would be replaced by the park's first stage, the Circle Theater. Various acts would perform here over its 20 years of existence.

As the mid-80's rolled in, the park invested in water rides such as Slippery Slopes and the Count's Fonts, as well as an area just for adults to get out of the heat.

The early years saw Bert, Ernie, and the Honkers appear in the park.

### The Expansions

In 1988, the park expanded with Sesame Neighborhood, which was built across from the Big Bird Steps. Another stage also opened with it, the Big Bird Theater (now Neighborhood theater).

just two years later, Sesame Island, built behind the neighborhood, opened with 2 more water rides.

The water park additions continued into the 90's (along with the tropical growth in Sesame Island) with Tweddlebug Land in 1993 (with Sky Splash being added in 1995).

in 1997, the park started the Rock Around the Block Parade. During its debut performance, dancers from *American Bandstand* appeared. The parks musical guests also appeared in the parade

Since the park has mostly become a water park, the park began a trend in investing in dry rides.

### Into the 21st Century

In 1998, the park opened Vapor Trail, the parks first coaster, giving the park its current entrance plaza (which may have been added earlier as seen in the American Bandstand image). Since 1998, the park has hosted The Count's Halloween Spectacular, a kid-friendly Halloween event with mazes, hayrides, and even special shows.

In 2001, Elmo's World arrived on the street, replacing the Sesame Studio attractions and the experiences were guests were thrown into the stories of the characters. This was also the last year for the Computer Gallery, which had been called the Games Gallery since 1994.

In order to add more dry rides, the park would begin eating into opening day attractions. with Grover's World Twirl (now Monster Mix-up) and Bird Bird's Balloon Race (now Flying Cookie Jars) in 2002. The Paradise Theater began hosting Oscar's Game Show at this time.

1, 2, 3 Smile with Me opened next to Grover's World Twirl in 2004, Big Bird's Beach Party also started in the Big Bird Theater.

Children's recording artiest David Jack, along with Big Bird and Zoe appeared in *Gotta Dance*, which got guests involved in learning new dances in 2005 and 2006. Also in 2006, 3 new rides were added creating Elmo's World: Blast Off!, Peek-a-bug, and Flyin' Fish.

David Jack did not return in 2007, instead new comer to the street, Abbey Cadabby arrived in a brand new show, *Abbey Cadabey's Treasure Hunt*.

For the 2008 season, the Big Bird Steps were finally removed and replaced the Sunny Day Carousel. 3 wet rides were removed at the end of season for a new water park attraction, The Count's Splash Castle for the 2009 season.

For the park's 30th anniversary, the park debut Elmo Rocks! and renamed the Big Bird Theater the Monster Rock Theater and retired Rock Around the Block.

2011 saw multiple investments: Elmo's Cloud Chaser replaced the Rubber Duckie Pond, Neighborhood Street Party debuted at the park (and since has at the SeaWorld Parks in some form), Murry Monster arrived on the street. The Park also began a Very Furry Christmas. The parade also gained seasonal skins for Halloween and Christmas.

*Treasure Hunt* was replaced by *Let's Play Together* in 2012 (and lasted til 2018).

2014 saw another large investment as the park retired the Nets and Climbs and started creating specific sections in the park with Grover's World Twirl and Big Bird Balloon Race joined by 5 new rides to create Cookie's Monster Land. After close to 20 years of absence, Honkers and Dingers returned to the parks cast. Elmo: the Musical (replacing Elmo's World Live!) also debuted.

It was seen in 2015 that more than a special Birthday stop was added, but the floats also gained a skin for the occasion. A new brownstone-themed building was added to Neighborhood Street Party instead of a Birthday Cake float like those seen in 2005 and 2010 (the latter most likely a redo of the Spanish-themed float due to its absence in 2010).

Elmo Rocks! was replaced by *The Magic of Art* for the 2016 season, with the theater now called Neighborhood Theater.

Julia, the first Muppet on the Autism Spectrum, debuted in 2017

For the 2018, the park gained another roller coaster, Oscar's Wacky Taxi. At that point, the entire original parking lot form 1980, and any rides from that era, were officially history.

After years of loosing its original, interactive purpose, the Neighborhood finally received an extensive renovation for 2019 with a new show and a design more in line with the current show. Snuffy finally made his costumed debut after 9 years of no presence (he was one of the floats in Rock Around the Block).

Time will tell what the big 4-O has in store for the street.

## Rides and Attractions

### Sesame Plaza

The parks front entrance. Home to Dine with me and the park's original coaster, Vapor Trail

unique layout.
Riders climb a 43ft lift, but has
a 56ft drop with helices.

### Sesame City

Anchored by Oscar's Wacky Taxi and opened in 2018 with only said ride. It was given its current name to coincide with the opening of Big Bird's Tour Bus and a new play area. Like all SeaWorld attractions planned for 2020, Big Bird's Tour Bus was delayed till 2022, although the play area was opened in 2021.

just as tall as Vapor trail, but
has a 39ft drop and has more
of a focus on airtime like its sister
coasters, Wooden Warrior and
 Slimey's Square
 Big Bird's Tour Bus

### Tweddlebug Land

One of three water ride sections. It is themed to the creatures who live in Bert and Ernie's garden. It is rethemed to Tweddlebug Gingerbread Factory for a Very Fury Christmas.

 Silly Sand Slides
 Sky Splash
 Slimey's Chutes
 Teeny Tiny Tidal Wave

* There used to be a small stage in the area, The Jukebox, where a brass band would play (as well as at the Big Bird Steps). It was also used as an experiment for what would become 1, 2, 3, Smile with Me!

### Sesame Island

The parks third expansion, opened in 1990

 Ernie's Waterworks

* Paradise Theater-one of the 3 theaters in the area. The last show to play here was Let's Play Together and seems to not be in use for the 2019 season.

### Sesame Neighborhood

The parks very first expansion, added in 1988 and renovated for the 2019 season. When the park was meant to be educational, guests could become firemen or buy things from Hooper's Store. Before the '88 expansion, this area was half the parking lot (along with Sesame Island), the other half was the Entry court, where guests would enter through the Big Bird steps. Over the years, the Bridge (and ultimately the steps) were removed by 2008. This where the Sunny Day Carousel stands.

Cookie's Cafe was originally a computer lap were guests would play educational games. Cookie's Cafe opened in 2001.

This area includes the remaining entertainment spaces: *This is Our Street*, which plays outside the neighborhood buildings; Sesame Studio, where *Elmo: the Musical* plays; and Sesame Neighborhood theater, where *Magic of Art* currently plays.

Prior to it's use for Elmo's World Live! and Elmo: the Musical, Sesame Studio was both a science lab, as well as an area where guests could learn about tv and film production. Such attractions included:

* **Shadow Room**
* **Rainbow Room**
* **Pedal Power and Cycles**
* **Create a Muppet Show**
* **Sesame Production Company**
* **Sesame Dream Network**
* **Everyone is You and Me**
* **Kaleidoscope**
* **Pin Tables**
* **Chat Lag**
* **Pitch Switch**
* **Multiscopes**
* **Teleidoscope Temple**
* **Zoetrope**
* **Snuffle Ball**
* **Talking Picture Show**
* **Foot Notes**
* **Touch of Spring**
* **Anti-Gravity Mirror**
* **Mirror Mirage**
* **Circus Mirrors**
* **Cheshire Cat**

### The Counts Court

This area features 3 water rides that form the back right section of the park.

### Cookie's Monsterland

Replacing the original Land and Water Courts from 1980 that opened in 2014.

For the longest time, the area was called Nets and Climbs after the play structure that resided there. It featured the following:

* 1, 2, 3 Smile with Me-a meet and greet area introduced in 2004, replaced the Circle theater where acts such as Corey Schmidt's "Bird of Paradise" has been performed for the previous 20 years

### Rides whose introduction, nor removal date, are known

* Mix and Match Muppet Totem Poles (unknown)
* Grover's Rubber Band Bounce (unknown)
* Oscar's Balance Beams - balance beams (unknown)

## Notes

* The Sesame Street brand and park is a licensing deal between Sesame Workshop and SeaWorld Entertainment
* Although in concept art for Sesame Island, the Paradise Theater and SS Sesame were not apart of the areas first seasons and one could easily see outside the park
* The original park consists of everything on the right side of the street between where the neighborhood starts up to The Count's Splash Castle
* During the Count's Halloween Spooktacular, there are 3 seasonal shows: *The Not Too Spooky Howl-Ween Radio Show!* (2010–present), *Who Said Boo?!* (2014–present, replaced *Count Down to Halloween* [2005-2013]), and overlays for *Neighborhood Street Party* and *Elmo: the Musical.*
* During a Very Furry Christmas, there are various smaller shows, a tree lighting (*1-2-3 Christmas Tree*), and overlays for *Neighborhood Street Party* and *Elmo: the Musical.*

## See Also

* Talk: Sesame Place
* *Sesame Place: Images of Modern America*