If you have or have had a child between the ages of about 1 year to 5 years old, chances are you have a strong repertoire of Sesame Street songs, sayings, quotes, and characters; as you have more than likely watched or listened to many an episode of the now 50 year old children’s show. Whether you love it or hate it, Sesame Street is a staple in toddlerhood and to be honest, we’re here for it!
The show is iconic and it’s hard not to fall in love with the entire Sesame Street crew: Elmo, Bert and Ernie, Big Bird (who’s sadly no longer on the show!), Abby, Count von Count, and all the others. Not to mention, all the celebrities that have graced the Sesame Street stage/neighborhood!
For the super fans, there’s also Sesame Place theme park in Langhorne, Bucks County, just about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia. Trust us, you’ll love it just as much (if not more!) as your little ones. It’s definitely a must see during a Pennsylvania vacation.
(In Count von Count’s voice), here’s 15 tips and tricks for making the most out of your Sesame Place visit!
1. Look into Sesame Place official hotel packages.
They offer some really great packages with Sesame Place official and partner hotels. Some of which have really exclusive perks for the kiddos! If you have to book a hotel, why not book one with perks? One of which is usually early entrance to the park!
2. Pregnant? Get 50% off!
If you’re expecting, you can purchase a single day pass at 50% off! You have to purchase this at the main entrance; so buy everyone else’s passes online. They won’t have to wait in line while you get your discounted one! The park offers this because expecting mamas can’t take advantage of everything it has to offer(do you really want to ride a roller coaster while pregnant anyways?). But you’ll still have a great time. PS: We definitely encourage pregnant mamas to invest in a cabana rental. Doesn’t it sound amazing to relax in the cabana while your significant other takes the kids everywhere????
3. Want to go all out or have a Sesame Place birthday party?
Consider renting a cabana if you want to really go all out for your Sesame Street experience or if you’re celebrating a birthday or other special day. Cabanas come at a hefty price tag but could be reasonable if you share with a few families. They come with lots of perks for kids and adults alike, but the best part is that a cabana will give you a home base during your day. A place to rest, relax, get out of the son, and leave all of your stuff.
4. Find a spot early for the Sesame Place parades.
While you’re planning your day at Sesame Place park, make sure to allow about 45 minutes to stake out a good spot for any of the parades in the park. If this means you coordinate that time during snack time, do that. You can find a spot, get comfortable, have some snacks and water while you wait. Or maybe one adult finds the spot and the other adult continues throughout the park for a bit. Either way, you’ll want to be early.
5. Or, if you’re not into parades…
Not sure your little ones have the attention span for the parades or maybe mom and dad just don’t enjoy them? We give you permission to skip the parades and head for more rides! The lines will be way shorter so you’ll be able to go on a lot of rides in a short time while everyone one else is watching the parade go by.
6. Don’t pack extra baby gear.
Bring (or rent!) a stroller. There is going to be lots of walking, waiting, and stuff you’re packing. So make sure you have an appropriate stroller for your crew to limit the whining or to offer a nap time to anyone who may need it. You can rent from a BabyQuip Quality Provider by clicking here.
7. Abby’s fast pass is a time saver!
Most parks these days have a fast pass option that allows you to skip lines for rides. At Sesame Place they have Abby’s Magic Queue. Skip the lines and enjoy some other special perks too! Another idea: if you live close by or plan to go several times a year (maybe Grandma and Grandpa live nearby), go ahead and purchase a season pass. That way you won’t feel pressure to get everything done every time you’re there and you won’t need a fast pass!
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8. Child swap (it’s not what it sounds like!).
If you’re familiar with child swap at amusement parks, then you’ll know what this is. But if not, we can explain! Basically, if one kiddo is too little for a ride but the other kiddo wants to go with both parents, you can swap parents at the entrance of the ride without having to wait in line again. We can’t guarantee that the little one who is too little won’t get kind of antsy, but it’s a great option so that both parents can ride with the kiddo who is big enough!
9. Go cashless with a wristband.
This is a super convenient way to pay for extras throughout the park. Buy a Quick Pay wristband so you don’t have to carry your wallet around all day and risk losing it or getting it drenched in the water area. You must pre-enroll this benefit online before you go!
10. Be prepared for water fun.
Sesame Place is not only an amusement/theme park, but it’s also a water park! So wear bathing suits (or pack them, there’s dressing rooms to change), bring towels, sunscreen, plastic bags for wet clothes, water shoes, etc. The great thing about the water park? There is fun to be had for all ages! Rides for mom and dad, the big kids, and the little ones too. Hint: The Count’s Splash Castle is a must.
11. Look at the events calendar to find seasonal fun!
Are you traveling to PA for a certain holiday? Make sure to look at the events calendar for Sesame Place so you can see if there are any fun, themed, seasonal offerings! They have special events for Valentines Day, Christmas, and more! We think a furry Christmas sounds so fun!
12. BYO…Picnic!
This is an awesome way to save some money when visiting Sesame Place. The park allows small coolers so you can totally pack a picnic or at the very least, tons of snacks. If you have picky eaters or sensitive tummies in your crew, this is the perfect way to be prepared and ensure you don’t have cranky, hungry kiddos. However, make sure to save some room in your tummy for some Cookie Monster cookies!
13. Sesame Place character dining is a must!
While we totally encourage you packing some food, plan for one meal to be a character meal. You can “kill two birds with one stone” because you’ll get one meal out of the way throughout your visit AND you’ll get to meet and greet with characters, like Elmo and Cookie monster, so you can avoid the signature lines. This is something you’ll want to book in advance as well.
14. Take a break from the heat and go see a show.
There are two shows that are indoors and therefore have AC, so you’ll definitely want to make a pit stop at one of them (at least) if you’re visiting in the hot summer. They are super fun too so the little ones will definitely enjoy themselves! Go to either Elmo the Musical or The Magic of Art.
15. Try to plan a weekday visit to Sesame Place.
If you are spending a full week or so in the Philadelphia area, try to plan your Sesame Place visit for a weekday of your trip. It’s far less crowded and easier to do all the things and see all the attractions! If you do go on the weekend, go either super early or late. Lines and crowds tend to build up right when the park opens. So sleep in, and arrive fashionably late.
Wow! We don’t know about you, but we want to go to Sesame Place ASAP now. It sounds like a blast for kids of all ages, 2 to 62! Make sure to check out our Philadelphia blog so you can plan your entire PA itinerary!
Join in the fun and comment below: who was or is your favorite Sesame Street character?
Kaylee Garcia is the mama to one sweet boy and one sweet girl, and wife to an awesome husband. Kaylee and her son (he’s only 4!) have completed over 20 trips via air travel (thank you, Alaska Airlines!) on over 40+ airplane rides! They love sharing travel tips with other families since they’ve learned a lot in the last 4 years. Kaylee enjoys spending time with family, researching baby gear, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Hi,
i See the policy that no outside food/coolers are allowed. Can you confirm if I can take food with me to the park?
Hi Saranya! I think it would be a good idea to call to confirm. Things may have changed with Covid since we wrote this blog. Also, many places will make exceptions if there are allergies involved. Let us know how you like it when you get back!!
Living in a state already known for its theme parks, I wouldn’t have imagined traveling solely to visit another park. My son loves elmo. I think your article is convincing me to plan a trip.
Quick pay wristband? Genius. I had no idea this existed. Great article!
I didn’t even know this place existed! Sesame Street was a big part of my childhood–I also didn’t know that big bird isn’t on it any more…why is that?
So many great tips! Our 2.5 year old Is obsessed with Sesame Street so I know this will be on our list of places to travel to in the near future. Lots of great tips and suggestions! Thanks!
Looks like so much fun! My three year old would love it, and I love the perks for pregnant moms and packing lunches!
Wow! This looks like so much fun! We will definitely have to hit this up when we are in the area this summer.
Looks like a great option! I love that it is an amusement and waterpark! How sweet of them to offer 50% off for pregnant mamas! I’ve never heard of a theme park doing that! We saw a Sesame Street parade at Sea World last month and that was so much fun, I imagine this park is even more so!
So nice that you pack your own lunch as most time the kiddos don’t eat much. So much going on around them they get so excited and don’t want to break to eat.
My family and I plan to visit Philly next year, and we are all so excited!! The top two places we have to visit while we’re there – Sesame Place and Please Touch Museum. Thanks for the great info!
I’ve never heard of this place! One more reason to consider a trip to Philly!
Very good advice! Wish I had read up on it more before visiting.
I would love to go here. I wish it wasn’t across the country. Maybe one day. Thanks for the tips.
I have a 5 1/2-year-old boy and a 2 1/2-year-old boy. Both loves Sesame Street. How did I not know this place existed? I am in Wisconsin but this would be a great family mini vacation! I love that they have their own hotel and so many other fun things to do. Thank you so much for sharing!
Looks like a lot of fun thanks for the info.
Whait, what? I had no idea this was actually a place!
My daughter would L O V E this. She’s obsessed with ELMO.
LOVE that you can bro FB your own picnic. I hate paying for overpriced food my picky eaters won’t eat! Looks like fun!
Aww! This is such a cute place.
Precisely the place I want to take my kids.
Sesame Street was my favorite show as a kid. My daughter is still too little for TV but I hope she loves it as much as I did.
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! :)
I’ve been here once and the parade was great u don’t want to miss it