Sesame Place

[JenniferEC]

I'm sure some of you have been there, so I'm looking to hear what you think. It is about a 9 hour drive for us, so I'm wondering if my 16 month old will really like it. Is this a one day park or do you need to spread it out?

[jay&erinn]

I've not been there, but am looking for the same answers. DD is almost 2 and in love with Elmo. I'm hoping it would be worth the trip.

[lorbo]

it's been years since i've been there, but i think it's totally doable in one day. i have talked to DH and we'll plan to take her there next year when she's 3.

[MrsTazlvr]

We are taking DD next month. I hear it's not that big so you don't need more than one day. If you are still on WC Eliezrah just took her DD there last month so she probably could tell you more about it.

~Cori :)

[emschwar]

bump, bump, bump!

We're taking Noah this summer. Noah'll be 2, and he's a huge elmo freak. He's pretty fond of the other sesame street characters as well. We're planning on doing 2 days there - too much?

Also, we want to do a character meal. Any thoughts on if breakfast or dinner is better? We definitely want a meal with Elmo, so if he's not at dinner, we need to know! (He's at breakfast, since it's breakfast with Elmo and Friends. Dinner is with Big Bird and Friends, so it's not so obvious.)

Thanks!

[IrisHope]

I absolutely don't think Sesame Place is worth a 9 hour trip.

[jp'swife]

We used to go to Sesame Place MANY times when I was younger (I'm from PA). It was amazing and so much fun!
However, some of my friends who have kids now have said that it's just not the same. I'm not sure if it's in respect to the cleanliness or clientele.
I would love to go again when DS is older, but now I'm not so sure.

[kwsu44]

Just wanted to chime in ... I went last summer with my BIL/SIL and nephews who are 4 and 2. We live in Massachusetts and drove to Pennsylvania, which was about a 6 hour drive.

We went in August on a Thursday, stayed overnight and went back on a Friday. It was insanely hot. Sesame Place is mostly a water park, although there are 3 or 4 rides that are not water related (there's a roller coaster and a balloon ride).

It was absolutely mobbed. Wait times for the water slides were over 1 hour and there aren't a lot of water rides for toddlers. Even the 4 year old could only go a few rides. Plus, it was pricey as well. We were quite disappointed with the whole experience.

[emschwar]

FTR, it's only a 2.5 hour drive for us, and we're planning on going midweek so it's not busy.

[Ericka_Jarett]

In the summer Sesame Place gets very busy. You have a lot of daycares and summer camps bringing in the kids from the city as well as other local centers bringing their kids as well. I haven't been in several years (use to take the kids I was a nanny for)

There are lots of water rides, not sure what the none water rides are like, since they are always adding more things. It's definately a 1 day park though.

[lil_nance]

We went a few years back with my friends and their kids, age 5 & 8. It was a BLAST! Can't wait until DS is old enough to go. We'll probably wait until he's 2. As PP mentioned, it is mainly a waterpark. Toddlers enjoy the splash pools and the intertube float but they're really too small to go on the waterslides. They have a HUGE rope jungle gym thing and some rides too. Definately a 1 day park.

[jbenny75]

I've never been IN Sesame Place, but lived in the area and drove around it all the time. It did not seem very big at all. It seemed to be situated on a piece of land between the highway and the mall that was very small. However, it is very close to Philadelphia (probably less than an hour), so maybe you could combine S.P. with a trip to Philly if you are driving a very long way. You could do the Philly Zoo, Franklin Institute, The Please Touch Museum, and the Adventure Aquarium (right across the river from Philly in Camden, NJ). Also, the historic district (Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, etc.), the HUGE and awesome King of Prussia Mall, and Valley Forge National Park.

www.pleasetouchmuseum.org

www.adventureaquarium.com

www.fi.edu

Great travel guide to Philly:
www.gophila.com

[lildan]

I've been there twice, once when I was 8 and once when I was 10. That was 1983 and 1985, repsectively. My brother was 3 and 5 at the times. We both loved it. From my perspective, it might be better for kids that are older than 4 or 5. I have some old photos somewhere. I should find them and post. The early 80s fashion is probably fun to see. :D

[jp'swife]

I've never been IN Sesame Place, but lived in the area and drove around it all the time. It did not seem very big at all. It seemed to be situated on a piece of land between the highway and the mall that was very small. However, it is very close to Philadelphia (probably less than an hour), so maybe you could combine S.P. with a trip to Philly if you are driving a very long way. You could do the Philly Zoo, Franklin Institute, The Please Touch Museum, and the Adventure Aquarium (right across the river from Philly in Camden, NJ). Also, the historic district (Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, etc.), the HUGE and awesome King of Prussia Mall, and Valley Forge National Park.

www.pleasetouchmuseum.org

www.adventureaquarium.com

www.fi.edu

Great travel guide to Philly:
www.gophila.com


I agree with all of the above!
Or, for other amusement areas, try
Dutch Wonderland www.dutchwonderland.com
The Land of Make Believe www.lomb.com
or Hershey Park http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/index.asp
All are excellent!!

[Sasha]

Bumping this up....sounds like it would be not worth it to take a 15 month old there, yes? We're going to visit my mom in Phila. next month, when DD will be 15 months old and we talked about going there. I haven't been there in over 20 years, so I don't know exactly what to expect. But judging from what others have said, I'm guessing it would be a waste of our time and money.

[kimthebride]

sasha
I will try to word this as nicely as possible, so I don't get flamed by anyone.

My very close friend just went there mid-week in July with her 18 month old. She was it was mostly a water park for older kids, it was insanely busy, the lines for rides her DC could go on were not shaded at all, and it appeared to her that it was a popular place for people to come who were...how shall I put it tactfully...not so interested in watching their kids as they were getting the kids out of their hair. She said it was just hot, crazy crowded and loud. Many times she had to grab her DC from being knocked over by older kids running around without supervision.

She said she'd do it again when her DC is at least 3yo, during off-season only, and she would definitely make sure she had her DH and a group of friends/family with her. It was disappointing to her, and she was suprised by her experience.

[maryanne]

just posting to let you know that sesame place is advertising a 2 day for one pass during the summer.

[emschwar]

We just got back from SP this weekend. We had a GREAT time! Noah loved it! He didn't want to go on the water rides at all, but there was still plenty for him to do (he's 2). Plus, meeting all the characters was a dream come true for him!

I was plesantly surprised at the park. It was very clean, even the bathrooms!

[vjel]

I have not been to Sesame Place but it was on our list of places to take DD. I went to Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com) and read reviews, where they were mixed. Like others have posted, it's mostly a water park but appropriate for younger kids. I just spoke to a friend over the weekend and she was saying that her friend went and was quite disappointed with it. She did mention that it wasn't very clean.

The same friend I spoke to just came back from Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster and said that was great for little kids, clean, etc. (her DS is 21mos.) They ended up staying the entire day (which they weren't planning) and had a great time. So if you decide to nix Sesame Place, maybe look into Dutch Wonderland?

Thought I'd mention that we went to Hershey Park w/ our 26mo. old. and for us, it wasn't worth it. She is not the adventurous type so she would not ride some of the rides (esp. since some the kids had to ride alone). But there were a good amount of rides for the younger kids and might be a good place for an older toddler.

[maryanne]

ah,,,but the spa at hershey is killer! :D


(oh wait- this is supposed to be about the kids ;) )

[LeslieR]

We're going to SP next month as a treat for DS' 2nd birthday. I checked out the site and a lot of the rides say "No hand-held infants allowed". What does this mean exactly?

[goldengbridge]

Leslie-You cant hold a baby on your lap. They must be buckled in to the little seat belts they have on the rides.

We went to SP two weeks ago and although being super crowded we all had a great time! My almost 3 year old loved it especially the water park. There were tons of water rides so make sure to take your bathing suits! And I NIP a few times with no problems. All and all a good experience. We'll be going back again this summer.

[Brady]

This thread is making me nervous with all the negative reviews...
We have a trip planned next month to SP with my 2.5 year old.

Those of you that had a positive experience- what type of rides could he go on at this age? We had planned 2 days at the park, should we really just do one? Are the characters all walking around the park?

We were originally going to go in September, but I feared where it was a water park primarily that we ran the risk of it being too cold to even do anything and are now going in August.

[goldengbridge]

Brady- Yes the characters walk around the park and they have a parade twice a day where they all come down main st. Its usually still warm enough for water rides here in Sept so I think you should be ok.

My DS is almost 3 and there were a bunch of rides he could go on. There is a giant bounce ride that he loved. There are hot air balloon rides that go up and spin around. A ride that kinda reminded me of the teacups at Disney. There is also am Elmo ride that spins around. He should have a lot of fun!

[OctoberPrincess]

Brady I'm sure your DS will have a good time. We were just there yesterday and DS (3) had a blast. At 2.5 your son will be able to ride many rides, there is a raft ride that the entire family can do together (up to 4 adults and 2 children), there is a double tube ride where DS can sit in the front and you or DH can sit behind him and go down a very mild water slide (DS loved both of these rides even last year at 24 months), there is the giant bouncer, there is the teacup type ride that spins around, Elmo's Flying Fish is like the dumbo ride, there are tons of sprinklers and wading pool type areas, there is a lazy river where DS can ride in the tube with you, there is a small playground type area, if your son is adventurous there are nets that you can climb with him (a favorite for my DS), and there are the shows. If you are going in the summer and you are traveling quite a bit I definitely recommend staying 2 days, the park can be done in one day if it's not crowded. If you really want to see the most of the park during peak season you really need the 2 days so that you can relax and go at your toddlers pace. Most of the rides have very long lines and there is no shade so it gets really HOT, make sure to bring tons of sunblock, a big sunhat for DS, and if possible a T-shirt with SPF. We were at the park from 11am - 7pm yesterday and we only managed to go on 5rides and see no shows because of the long lines but we are season pass holders (only live 1 hour away) so there is no sense of urgency. Yes, the park does get kinda dirty by the end of the day, especially the locker rooms and bathrooms, but the kids don't mind. All in all it's a fun park, not my favorite as I much prefer Dutch Wonderland, but it's good enough for us and the kids seam to love it.

[Mrs.Chappy]

Leslie..we are going next month too! we are gong Aug 5 and 6th...i think it will be fine. We had no probs with disney in May so i suspect this will be similar.

[LeslieR]

Mrs.Chappy! How are you? I haven't seen you around in a while. This is too funny-we may be going the exact time you guys are there. We may run into each other!

[Brady]

Thanks so much for the responses everyone!

[Sasha]

We were at SP 2 weeks ago and my DD (2) had a blast. I would highly reccomend doing a character meal, as it really is the best way to meet them. We had five at the one we went to (Cookie Monster, Count, Big Bird, Bert & Ernie) and each one comes to your table and spends time with the kids. DD was a bit scared of them at first but by the end she was running around and hugging all of them. Also suggest making reservations early for the meal.

Get there early because there are zero lines then. That's when we did most of the rides, which included the Elmo dumbo-esque ride, these inflatable mats, and teacups. Then we headed to the live Elmo's World Show, which is exactly like an episode of the show. We also saw Big Bird's Beach Party, which DD enjoyed the best. We also went to an area where you can take pictures with Elmo and Zoe. Later we went to the big wading pool for smaller kids. There is also an Abbey Cadaby show, but we never made it to that. Nor did we do any of the other water rides, but there were definitely more she could have done.

Yes, it was expensive. And while I read many reviews that said it was dirty, I found just the opposite. We liked it a lot and DD just loved meeting her favorite characters. We arrived at 8:45AM (for character breakfast) and stayed until about 2:45PM...DD was pooped but very happy about her day. :) Since my mother lives outside of Philly, we absolutely plan on taking her again.

[Mrs.Chappy]

Leslie,
I Pm'd you!

[twinnyme]

This is a great thread to read. My DD and I are going to go to Sesame Place on August 27-28 (Monday-Tuesday) with my parents and two of my nephews who will be almost 4 and almost 5. DD will be 2.5. She's a little nervous lately about water sprinklers so I am kind of afraid of how it will go, but with her older cousins there, whom she loves, I think she'll do much better, so I'm glad it's worked out this way. (Plus as some of you have said your toddlers didn't go on ANY water rides and still had a fun day.) I just got off the phone with my mother about the plans and I'm getting excited. My sisters, brother, and I went when we were young - in the 80s sometime - and I am excited about bringing DD. They all live in NY/NJ and we live in MA, so it's a much longer ride for us, but I think it'll be good.

We're also probably going to go to the Crayola Factory (http://www.crayola.com/factory/), too.

[goldengbridge]

The Crayola Factory is so Fun!!! And only about 15 mins from my house:D

[Kasia216]

Thought I would post a reply as we took our DS here for his 2nd Birthday on Sunday. Overall, I thought the park was really nice - totally clean and well kept for the amount of people passing through.

There are plenty of water rides and water pools for kids of all ages, there are also shows throughout the day and a really cut eparade down the main street. There are a handful of rides and other fun non-water related activities.

We did not do a character meal as the characters walk about the park and we found it totally easy to get some good pics with them.

I did happen to find the water a tad bit chilly but once you were in it was OK.

It's a nice park and perfect for kids who love Sesame Street!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/cheryl216/Weekend15.jpg

[LeslieR]

kasia, that picture is so cute!

Anyone have recs for a hotel? We were going to stay at the Ramada, but it got some pretty bad reviews. Really a lot of the hotel nearby got bad reviews.:confused:

[Kasia216]

We decided to stay in Philadelphia (WESTIN). It was only a 45 minute car ride to the park. It's a fun/clean/easily walk-able city with some nice restaurants/cafe's/shops. I did happen to see a few hotels right outside the park if you wanted to stay closer.

[emschwar]

We stayed at the comfort inn in levittown. It was about 10 minutes from the park. It was a nice hotel. Nothing extravagant, but clean, convenient and teh free breakfast was nice.

[Brady]

Anyone have recs for a hotel? We were going to stay at the Ramada, but it got some pretty bad reviews. Really a lot of the hotel nearby got bad reviews.:confused:


Leslie- all the reviews I read were like half good/half bad for all the hotels as well. We will be staying at the Ramada, I can't vouch for it yet though... My thought is always just give me a clean room and a bed, and I try not to set my expectations too high! lol.

[DisneyGirl]

The crayola factory gets really really crowded during the summer so be sure to get there early..

[Mrs.Chappy]

OK, so logistically speaking..if its a water park and there are rides for whole families...what did you do w/ your bags and stuff.. i'm try8ing to figure out how to work out the diaper bag, change of clothes things w/o carrying too much. At disney, we just had our stroller and a diaper bag and one parent went on the ride or we both went on and took our diaper bag..am i making sense?? i'm a planner..i just want to know what to expect.

[Kasia216]

I tried to minimize the stuff I brought in the part to absolute necessary's. They do have lockers that you can rent which we did. Placed in our clean clothing for changing. You can also bring in strollers and they have these rather large strollers you can rent as well and it seemed like that is how most people brought their stuff around. I just had one large duffle that fit everything we needed. You needed to park your stroller outside the ride and most seated shows. Honestly, I think as long as you had your wallet/ valuables either on you or in the locker you could probably leave your bag in the stroller (in stroller storage compartment). You will not be far from your stroller and it's within eyesight.

[RobynScott]

was wondering if I should check it out with my 13-month old (we're only about 45 minutes away). A friend said it wasn't too crowded if you get there EARLY - but it sounds like he may be too young anyway.

Anyone go with a young toddler?

[cgriffin]

RobynScott- I took my DD when she was around 15 or 16 months and I think she was a little young. She enjoyed the parade and the wading pools but she was too little to go on any rides and she got tired and cranky quickly. I def. would go but maybe wait till your DC is a little older so it will be worth the trip. DH and I are planning on bringing our kids again next summer and they will be 3.5 and 2.5 years by then...

[Ericka_Jarett]

You have to pay for your ticket and it's 47.50 per ticket. He is free until 23 months. Honestly I think he is a little young. I took our kids this summer (all of them were free and we had group rate tickets for us) We went early in the season but the only things my girls (7 months) would have been able to do was 2 water things and the carousel. Easton (he was 20 months) was able to go on the carousel with DH, played in the water at 1 place and went on the flying fish ride. We went just to get out and since we actually had free tickets for DH and myself it was worth the trip, even though they couldn't go on much)

Couldn't have him in the climbing nets as there were older kids and you would have to do the climbing with your DS since he is only 13 months old. There is the lazy river, but you will have to hold him on your lap as you float around.

[jesseybell]

I would definitely wait - we went in May when my DD was 21 months old - she loved the shows and some of the rides. We went the 3rd weekend it was open which was perfect (and we went early in the day) - it was too cold to go on the water rides (though there are a lot she wouldn't have been able to go on).

[emermel]

Jessey...we must have been there at the same time!

We went with our 18 month old and 4 year old and it was PERFECT for us (and we flew to PA from MO just for this trip). The park isn't that big, so 1) it's easy to see everything 2) if you're travelling a long distance, you don't feel like you're going to miss stuff if you're only there for a day. Also, I felt like there were more rides that my small children could go on here than other places (Disney)-most of the rides don't have height restrictions.

I think that for anyone under 6 or 7, this is a perfect alternative to Disney. It's much cheaper and much smaller. I also felt like my kids like Sesame Street at this point, and will probably be into Disney much longer.

One more thing...with the Anheiseur-Busch buyout (they were sold to In-Bev, a European company), nobody knows what's going to happen to their amusment parks...so get there while you can!

[Brady]

I agree with the others, I would wait until next year. We took our son last year when he was almost 2.5, and it was a great age. He LOVED it! He could do all the rides (except the rollercoaster), and sat and enjoyed all the shows, characters and parade. He was a huge Sesame fan too, which helped! He still talks about it and asks when we are going back (as it was a 6 hour ride for us.. it won't be anytime soon! lol).

[rosa727]

BUMP! We're going in early June. It's before local schools get out, and we will be there mid-week. How crazy busy do you all think it will be? It's only a 1.5 hour drive from where we will be staying with family. We are going to stay 2 nights and spend 1.5 days at the park. We are doing breakfast with Elmo. My 2 year old DS loves Sesame Street, so I think he will really like it. Any more advice?

[maryanne]

That is the PERFECT time to go! Lines will be minimal.

Wear river sandals (perferably ones that strap on) b/c you will be doing some climbing on stairs.

Wear your bathing suit in (change at whereever you have breakfast) and have a coverup. I like terry ones b/c they don't look wet in photos :)There are lockers to keep dry clothes in if you want, but I usually keep them in the car. I actually change back at my car too because the bathrooms can be a little gross by day's end (my only complaint but you find that at any water park!).

The character breakfast is wonderful, but I might suggest that you do the lunch instead. it tastes pretty good, and they always let me take snacks and drinks out that lasted me until we left the park at closing.

There is a mall across the street from Sesame (not walkable) and several restaurants nearby where you could get breakfast. I truley think that you would get more bang for the buck with the character lunch.

Another reason that I like lunch , is that the lines at the restaurants can get long...so bypassing the crowds to the reserved lunch saves time and aggravation.

The elmo show is airconditioned, so save that when you need a break. The whole place is pretty small, and it is nice to be able to park a stroller and hit a few rides, without moving it.


They will let you come in with snacks and a small soft cooler with drinks.

enjoy!!

[lil_nance]

We're going mid-week in mid-June. This will be our first trip with kids. We went once a few years ago with my friends and their children. My parents will be with us, so an extra set of adults to help watch the kids. DS will be almost 4 and DD is 2. Should we bring our own stroller or rent one there? I'm sure they'll want to walk but will get tired by days end. Someone also recommended a wagon instead of stroller. Opinions? What did you do with your id & camera when on water rides? I don't want to have to go back and forth to the lockers too often.

[diam124]

I think early June is a good time to go Rosa. I worked at SP during summers off from college and the crowds really seemed to pick up in late June/July. Mid-week is significantly less crowded than weekends.

[maryanne]

They sell little water bags and boxes that have a strng attached to hang around your neck for id's and such...only bring in the necessities. I usually bring ziplocs for the camera and also buy an old school waterproof film camera (offsite) for some fun shots.

I'd bring your usual stroller. The park is small and the parking lots are easily rolled too (ie: you don't need to take a tram or monorail). So I wouldn't bother renting one. don't forget an extra towel for wet kid to sit on.

[rosa727]

maryanne: Thanks for the tips! They are all so helpful. I'm thinking we may leave and do lunch outside the park because DS usually eats lunch and then naps. So we may leave, eat lunch, do nap, and then come back. We're staying at the Residence Inn, which is only about 1/4 mile, so I don't think it should be too tricky. But that's why I'm thinking to do breakfast. Also, DS tends to eat a very light lunch but chow down at breakfast.

The waterproof camera is a great idea!

diam: I'm glad to hear it!