Sesame Place Amusement Park

[GelflingWaldo]

I have visited Sesame Place amusement park several times. I went as a kid four years after it opened. Since I visited several time as a kid, and recently took my younger cousins (this was really just an excuse to go again). It is an awesome water park, with fun rides for all ages, exciting show, attractions, and so much more.

I have pictures of me in front of 123 Sesame Street, in Big Bird's nest, in Oscar's can, and all kinds of other cool sesame things. When I was much younger I participated in a live show where audience members act in a show that later gets real Muppets blue-screened in to the video with you. I have a copy of the tape and it is priceless (a video of me Bert, Ernie, Elmo, Grover, Oscar and Big Bird). In my latest visit to Longhorn, PA and the park, I check the shops in the for exclusive merchandise, and do they have some cool stuff (a lot of which I now have). The hedges shaped like the characters all over the park, the characters walking around, music playing, and the whole atmosphere is just awesome. The park is full of magic, and is a ton of fun! Never did I think I would ever walk down Sesame Street, but here you not only can walk down it, you can go in and explore it. In the 20 years since I first went, the park has changed a lot...it's even better than I remember!

Has anyone else been to Sesame Place? Any stories to share? Questions to ask? Information to swap? Sesame Place is on of the best family parks that I've been to in a long time.

[Vic Romano]

Definately a very awesome place, I'm glad you took the intiative as an adult to go back, that's inspired me to go back! I haven'y been there for over a decade and my friends and siblings are always saying we're gonna' go back. I also went when it first opened and my buddy and I always joke with saying: "I remember that place when it was a giant air mattress and a ball pit!" Very very cool place though, and all you reading this, if you haven't been there, it is very cool, and LOTS of cool stuff to buy too!

[Muppetsdownunder]

I didnt even realise there was a sesame street amusment park! it sounds good. how long has it been around and where is it? What is it like?

[bobhopesite]

I didnt even realise there was a sesame street amusment park! it sounds good. how long has it been around and where is it? What is it like?

What is it like?

[Phillip Chapman]

Sesame Place originally opened around 1980. There were multiple parks at the time. I went to the one in Dallas during the early eighties. There is only one park now though in Philadelphia. Brian Henson and Bill Barretta originally met at Sesame Place doing clean-up work.

Many fans have visited so feel free to ask any questions.

http://www.sesameplace.com (http://www.sesameplace.com/)

[Muppetsdownunder]

Sounds like a good place for muppet central meetups. I havent been there so dont know what its like!

[Bean Bunny]

Phil,

Do you know why the Texas park closed?

[Phillip Chapman]

I assume they closed it in the middle-to-late eighties due to competition. In the Dallas area there was Six Flags and White Water around the same period of time. I have no idea how many Sesame Place parks were open around the country during its heyday though.

One of the best things about Sesame Place in the early eighties was just the amazing Muppet store. They not only sold Sesame stuff but all of the Classic Muppet items as well. I only went there a few times, but I remember seeing the entire Sigma collection in person, some posters of Jim and the Muppets, all the dolls and puppets from that era, and all the Sesame Street and Muppet records. I'm sure there were all kinds of treasures there that I would appreciate so much more as an adult.

They had a replica set of Sesame Street and Hooper's Store that was pretty accurate. You could perform an Oscar puppet behind his can. Most of the rides were themed for the younger kids (12 and below), but everywhere you went Sesame Muppets were featured including walk-around characters not unlike what you see at the Sesame Street Live shows produced by VEE Entertainment.

[Bean Bunny]

Thanks, Phil.

My Cousins went to Texas, when they were younger and I remeber they went to Sesame Place when it was brand new. I wish that I could have went when I was younger. :( Oh well, maybe I will head up to the other park with my cousin, his wife, and his young son. But he is probably too young right now since he is only two months old.

[guysmiley4ever]

hey cool! I still have a brochure from Sesame Place, got it a couple years ago.
It looks really fun, but we never got over there yet.
We had stopped in Pennsylvania and found the info there.
I'd never knew that it existed and till now forgotten about it.
That would be much more fun than Six flags!
:) I remember in the pictures, there's a giant Bert, Ernie, and Elmo walking around.
They all looked to be the same size as Big Bird! :p

[McFraggle]

I didn't know such a place existed. That's neat. :)

[BoyRaisin2]

And just to let everyone know, Sesame Place is owned and operated by the Busch Entertainment Corporation, a division of Anheuser-Busch. They also owns SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and other Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks.

[Dantecat]

I just love Sesame Place Very Very Much.It's my very favorite theme of all time!!!
They got the very best water rides of all and I love the vapor trail roller coaster. :excited: :excited: :excited:

You Should just go there,It's The Best.

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

heres a funny lil story of mine when we went to Sesame Place back in 1990 or 92...

back when i was...about 5 or 7 i asked Bert :( or maybe Ernie :p , why they wont talk to me, so my mom chims in and says "hes saving his voice for the show" or somthin like that and Bert or Ernie points at my mom and shaks his head "yes" LOL..... :D i'll never for get that haha

[Klonoa]

I went to Sesame Place when I was little, too! Back when they had a park in Dallas. Oh it was so cool! Much better than Six Flags! (I'm so sick of Six Flags). When you first walk in the gate was a giant Big Bird head. Most of the attractions were outside versions of kiddie climib arounds and ball pools like what you'd find at a Chuck E Cheese nowadays. I remember they had computer games you could play and a huge kids bookstore and big wheel races and water slides and you could get your picture taken with characters on a replica of Sesame Street. I got my picture taken with Bert and Oscar when I was little. When I got home, I wanted to write thank you notes to them for letting me get my picture taken with my favorite Sesame characters. But I knew Oscar wouldn't want a thank you note, so I just sent one to Bert and put a paper clip in the envelope for his collection. :)

The one time I went, when we were waiting in line to buy tickets, I made friends with the kid in front of me, and we played together in the theme park the whole day. Very fun place.

--Klonoa

[bobhopesite]

back in 1990 or 92...back when i was...about 5 or 7

1990: So you were born in 1983 or 1985... so your 19 or 21.
1992: So you were born in 1985 again or 1987... so your 17 or 19

I Don't know I like adding up dates...

But on topic..... I need to find this location. So I can take my family to it.

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

1990: So you were born in 1983 or 1985... so your 19 or 21.
1992: So you were born in 1985 again or 1987... so your 17 or 19

I Don't know I like adding up dates...

But on topic..... I need to find this location. So I can take my family to it.


your right pal...1985 :D

[Dantecat]

Bobhopesite,Please Just Check Out This:www.sesameplace.com

;) :) :excited:

[Klonoa]

Here's an interesting fact. Did you know that a long time ago, before Six Flags had the Looney Tunes Land kids section of the theme park, at one point at the Six Flags in Dallas, the kid section of the park was called Pac-Land? This was back in the early 80's when the arcade game Pac-Man was in it's heyday with a wife sequel and cartoon by H-B. Pac-Land at Six Flags had a Pac-Man shaped ferris wheel, a 'maze' you could crawl through, and a Pac themed magic show. It wasn't much, but for a Pac-Man freak like yours truly, it was a blast. I wish they'd make a video game themed amusement park like how Sesame Place is with the SS cast. But I guess that's what E3 is for. :)

--Klonoa
I love Pac-Man.

[Muppetsdownunder]

They used to have a video game amusement park in Sydney, it was called Sega world. I went there once and liked it even though it was indoors they still packed lots in and im not video game fan. I'm pretty sure its closed now though. It was in a place in Sydney right in the city so I guess the rent on the place would have been astronomical and not worth while.

[Klonoa]

That's pretty interesting! What kinds of attractions did Sega World have? Rides? Game kiosks? Costumed characters?

--Klonoa
A Space Channel 5 dance party?

[Philo and Gunge]

I love this park, haven't been there in a looooong time. I never saw Oscar, only in parades and shows.

[Muppetsdownunder]

That's pretty interesting! What kinds of attractions did Sega World have? Rides? Game kiosks? Costumed characters?

--Klonoa
A Space Channel 5 dance party?
They were mostly electronic intensive games, simulators and stuff like that but they did have one pretty good roller coaster themed with sonic the hedgehog. They also had a shop that sold lots of plush toys etc. They had lots of virtual reality type things, since it was all indoors and quite a small area of land thats all they could really pack in. they did have one attraction that was a guillotine in this box where you put your hands and head in and you could hear the sound of the blade falling and there was something there to stop it really cutting your head off! it was pretty scary though, it felt so real and you thought that it was really going to cut your head off! I;m sure it would have been pretty safe but it looked dangerous!

[Klonoa]

Thanks, MuppetsDownUnder, that sounds pretty slick! The fake guillotine thing sounds like something from House of the Dead. A Sonic rollercoaster...bet it had a loopy loop in it.

Now they need to make a Namco theme park.

--Klonoa

[Muppetsdownunder]

Thanks, MuppetsDownUnder, that sounds pretty slick! The fake guillotine thing sounds like something from House of the Dead. A Sonic rollercoaster...bet it had a loopy loop in it.

Now they need to make a Namco theme park.

--Klonoa
Yeah, it was a good park, I only went there once since im not a video game fan and it wasnt cheap. The guillotine thing is kind of sick but it was just sideshow! That could be a sick new theme for a theme park, "Experience the thrill of thinking you are about to die" but not really!

[bobhopesite]

Bobhopesite,Please Just Check Out This:www.sesameplace.com

;) :) :excited:

Thanks, I'm going there in a few weeks.

[Muppetsdownunder]

Thanks, I'm going there in a few weeks.
Hope you and your family have a great time. Let us know what its like!

[erniebert1234ss]

When u do get a meetup going, can u tell us? Thanx!

BJ

[astrotrain]

Sesame Place is now part of the "Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks".

The characters are always friendly and always hamming it up. Telly
once came running upto my sister a few months ago acted like they
were old friends.

I just picked up the "25 Year Birthday Pass". Which allows the pass holder
unlimited access to the park for the remander of this year and all of next
year. And *free* general parking (normally $10.00 each visit).

You can get the pass for $25.00 by upgrading your park ticket while
you are there the same day. Otherwise its $75.00 to purchase without the upgrade.

As for the characters as big as Big Bird... no...Big Bird towers over them
he is still larger then them.

The only characters I have seen and met around the park are:

Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Telly, The Count, Big Bird, Grover, Oscar (only in Oscar Game Show show), Prarie Dawn, Elmo, and Rosita.

[GelflingWaldo]

The only characters I have seen and met around the park are:
Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Telly, The Count, Big Bird, Grover, Oscar (only in Oscar Game Show show), Prarie Dawn, Elmo, and Rosita.Here is a list of all the ones I have seen (and taken pictures with)

Bert
Ernie
Cookie Monster
Telly
The Count
Big Bird
Grover (and Super Grover)
Oscar (Oscar walks with legs sticking out of bottom of can)
Prarie Dawn
Elmo
Rosita
Zoe
Honkers (Purple, Blue, and Green)
The Wolf (The Purple Big Bad Wolf - he only appears in the Rock around the Block Parade)
Tweedle Bugs (I've seen three diffrent ones)
Mr. Noodles
Snuffy (Only appears in balloon form in the Rock around the Block Parade)
Dragon Tale Characters (on special "dragon days" 3 characters from Sesame Workshops show "Dragon Tales" appear in special parts of the park)



The characters are bigger than actuall puppets. If you are familar with Sesame Street Live, they are almost exactly the same. Big Bird is actual size to the one on the show, and is much taller than the others.



http://www.sesameplace.com/sesame/image/news/RockAroundParade.jpg

Here you can see Telly, Zoe, Cookie, Elmo, The Wolf, the Snuffy Balloon, Elmo Balloon, and a Big Bird Balloon in the Rock Around the Block Parade.

[Dantecat]

Hey Bobhopesite,How Was Sesame Place And What did you and your family just do there?

[erniebert1234ss]

Seriously, I need more US Airways Dividend Miles! That would be so cool to go and take pictures! I could even post them on an a photo hosting site! Are there any GOOD ones besides Yahoo?

BJ

[Animal Jam]

Sesame place is great! I love going on the water rides except in may.What is the hay ride like? :confused:

[astrotrain]

Okay bad pun (and showing my age), but due to the approaching storm bearing down on Sesame Place, I was unable to get to enjoy the hay ride.

But from what the staff memeber told me, it was a fiteen minute trip and a story was read to you . The character joining us on this trip was Ernie.

[Dantecat]

Did You Just Go On The Water Rides?If So,Which Ones?

[bigbirdfan]

i went there i liked it :p

[erniebert1234ss]

Speakest Queen's English?? :p

[floydnjanicefan]

I love Sesame Place! I live about 40 minutes away so I have gone there quite a few times. I have taken my two younger brothers for the past two summers (ages 12 and 14). For those of you who have never been there and get a chance, I highly recommend it. Even though it may be geared towards younger children, my brothers and I have a great time everytime we go.

Our last trip was particularly fun! Two memorable stories:

I am a big fan of Telly Monster, but over our previous trips, my brothers and I had not seen any costumed Telly around the park. This trip, there was a person in a Telly suit and I got very excited. My brothers and I got in line to have a picture, and I told them that I was going to give Telly a great big hug. They laughed, but they did not believe me. So when it was our turn to get a picture with Telly, I hugged him as I lovingly said his name. It was hilarious, and my brothers and I were laughing for about five minutes after that.

Another great thing about Sesame Place is that they play all Sesame Street music. At one point in the day, they started to play the song with Bert and Ernie - the la-la-la song about L words. Now, as the song was playing, the older of my two younger brothers looked at me, and I looked at him, and we both sang "La-la-la Linoleum" along with Bert. It was also really funny. My youngest brother was a bit embarrassed. After that, I was singing along with the Sesame Street music all day.

(sorry if these two stories seem pointless, but they make me laugh, and that laugh that I got just from typing these stories was much needed. I hope that they will make you smile as well. :p )

[Dantecat]

Jimmy,Do You Like The Water Rides? Because They're Just So Great! :excited:

Anyway,What Other Muppet Characters Did You Meet What Other Songs Did They Play And What Do You See Good At Mr.Hooper's Emporium?

[floydnjanicefan]

Oh, I love the Water Rides! My brothers and I especially love the Rubber Duckie slide! When we went over the summer, it was a bit cloudy, so the lines were not too long - which was great. Towards the evening, the lines were so short that we got to go on the Rubber Duckie slide three times in a row in about 20 - 30 minutes total!

We also loved Super Grover's roller coaster! It is a bit upsetting because the area around the ride used to be well decorated, with a hilarious Super Grover comic, but now the plants have grown and covered a good portion of the comic so that it cannot completely be seen. I may write to Sesame Place and tell them my concern about that - I love that comic. Since the ride is not brand new, the lines for it are not too long and so my brothers and I were able to go on it several times in a row!

We saw most of the other characters that were in the park, Big Bird, Oscar, Cookie, Grover, the Count, Elmo, Zoe, Prarie Dawn, Rosita, Telly, Bert, Ernie, and Hoots and the Wolf (in the parade).

In Hoopers Emporium, there were countless treasures! Unfortionately, funds were limited so my brothers and I ended up buying small sovenieres. The one item that really caught my eye was the Sesame Street 35th Anniversary Board game, which I have never seen in stores, but I would have had just enough money to buy it and I did not want to deprive my brothers of Sesame merchandise (or snacks and drinks). In Hooper's emporium, they were playing Elmopalooza, and what I saw as I was shopping intrigued me, so I purchased the DVD at Best Buy about a week after my trip to Sesame Place. Also, I saw Sonia Manzano's book, which I would like to purchase at some point as well.

The other songs that were played in the park (that I sang along to) were "Let your frown be your umbrella", "Just three colors", "I love Trash" "C is for Cookie", "The breakfast song" (with Cookie and Ernie), and "Captain Vegetable" (these are just the ones that I can remember, but they had a very wide selection of songs)

Oh, another funny story: We went to see "Big Bird's Beach Party", which was a show starring the costumed characters. And in the beginning, the guy came out and told us how hot it was, and that in spanish, to say it is hot, you say "Hace Calor". Then he said that he was going to sing a song called "Hace Calor", and that he wanted everyone who knew the words to sing along with him. Well, kids today just dont know such songs, because these songs do not feature Elmo or the other main characters and songs like this are rarely included in episodes anymore.... But I knew every word - so I think that it was more like a duet between the man on stage and me rather than a group sing along. Afterwards my brothers and I laughed so much.

Wow! I just had such a great time at Sesame Place. It was a really great bonding experience for my brothers and I, especially since I am away from them for so much of the year. I can't wait to take them again next year!

[McFraggle]

That's a nice story. :)

[Dantecat]

Ssetta,Did You Ever Go To This Theme Park? If So,How Was It? :excited:

[ssetta]

I had fun, but I was 7 the last time I went there.

[Dantecat]

Well You Should Go Again! Because It's Very Big,For All Ages From Now On,And The Best Water Rides Etc. When Will You Go Again? ;)

[HarveyK]

When we went, there was constant ss music playing throughout the park. If anyone knows where I can buy it, PLEASE let me know. It isn't songs from the street. It had the song by the barbershop quartet group of puppets about singing high and low. Remember them?????

[Dantecat]

I Remembered Them!

[floydnjanicefan]

When we went, there was constant ss music playing throughout the park. If anyone knows where I can buy it, PLEASE let me know. It isn't songs from the street. It had the song by the barbershop quartet group of puppets about singing high and low. Remember them?????

There was no specific cd that the music came from. As the park is owned by Sesame workshop (or at least affiliated with them), they have access to all songs that Sesame Street has ever done. Therefore, they play a wide variety of songs from many different albums.

[ssetta]

But don't they often like make announcements and it interrupts the song? Or can you still hear the music?

[Dantecat]

You Can Still Hear The Music But Just Not As Loud As The Announcement Because It's A Little Louder Then The Music!

[muppetmayhem]

I WANNA GO SO BAD. I WILL GO WITH MY CHILDREN SIMPLY SO PEOPLE DON'T LAUGH AT ME WHEN THEY FIND I WANTED TO GO ANYWAY! :excited: :excited:

[maxdrive]

does disney own sesame workshop now was well as the other muppets will sesame place become some kinda of disney world mutation of its former self

[floydnjanicefan]

does disney own sesame workshop now was well as the other muppets will sesame place become some kinda of disney world mutation of its former self

No, Disney does not own any of the Sesame Street characters or Sesame-related things (other than Kermit). Sesame Workshop split away from the Jim Henson company several years ago and now they are independent from Disney. I guess it is a good thing that Sesame Workshop left the Jim Henson Company when they did, because otherwise Disney might have insisted that Sesame Street be included in the purchase of the Muppets...

[Mario]

Hace calor, si si, senor! :) We listened to that in Spanish class. I really want to go here, now!

[Muppetsdownunder]

I WANNA GO SO BAD. I WILL GO WITH MY CHILDREN SIMPLY SO PEOPLE DON'T LAUGH AT ME WHEN THEY FIND I WANTED TO GO ANYWAY! :excited: :excited:
I think thats why parents take their kids to Disneyland, you look around and its mostly adults there and if they have kids the adults were the ones that looked the happiest that I saw!

[Fuzzy and Blue]

I live relatively close to Sesame Place and haven't been there since I was about 5 years old, but I can say that it's a great place to take little kids. The vast majority of the attractions are geared towards the younger audience, but the older crowd can still let their inner child come out and play :) I'd like to get a job there working in the entertainment department, but it's a matter of finding a way to get there...

~Dana~

[sanfranciscogrl]

Has anyone gone to the dinner or breakfast with Big Bird and friends? its a bit of money, but it looks like fun.

[HeartlessGiant]

I remember the first time i went (i was pretty young, about 4 or 5, i think more like 4) and i went on the river ride. You know, the one where you get in a little inner tube and just float along.

Problem was, i was one of those obnoxious kids that enjoyed the water but didn't like getting splashed, so i freaked out when i saw the water jets pouring all over everyone like a waterfall. I started crying and everything. Lucky for me a nice Sesame Place employee grabbed the tube and just walked me along the edge so i didn't "wander" into the waterfall.

Here's to the Sesame Place employees! *raises glass*

Oh, and (not to make this place sound horrible or anything, these are just things that stick out in my mind) does anyone remember that sand pit with all the punching bags? I have this very strong visual image of just a deep sand pit, with punching bags swinging around and small children all over the place screaming and trying frantically to rub sand out of their eyes. lol.

P.S. sorry if someone already mentioned that. i didn't read the whole thread. :o