Sesame Place San Diego Opens In Chula Vista

SAN DIEGO, CA — Sesame Place San Diego, the brand's first West Coast park, opened Saturday with 18 Sesame Street-themed rides and water attractions across 17 acres in Chula Vista.

The theme park, owned by SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, is based on the award-winning children's television show that has aired for more than five decades. The park features seven dry rides, including Super Grover's Box Car Derby rollercoaster, Abby's Fairy Flight swings, Cookie Climb towers and Sunny Day Carousel.

The 11 water attractions offer heated pools and water slides, including Bert's Topsy Turvy Tunnel, Snuffy's Spaghetti Slides and Oscar's Rotten Rafts. Big Bird's Beach is a 500,000-gallon wave pool surrounded by a sandy beach and The Count's Splash Castle is a multi-level water play attraction with a 500-gallon water bucket drop.

• Also see: Sesame Place San Diego Opens With Rides, Show, Parade: Photos

The theme park also features an interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood complete with the iconic 123 Stoop, a musical play area, live character shows, parades, meet-and-greets and photo opportunities with beloved characters from the show.

"This is an exciting milestone for our company, as this is the second Sesame Place in the United States and the first new theme park we've opened since 2013," said Marc Swanson, CEO of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. "We are thrilled to debut this new park and add a premiere tourist destination to California that is so appealing to families."

Swanson spent part of his career at the original Sesame Place, which opened outside Philadelphia in July 1980.

"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," he said.

Sesame Place was built on the former site of Aquatica waterpark, which was also owned by SeaWorld. Like the Philadelphia theme park, Sesame Place is a Certified Autism Center by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. Staff members receive autism sensitivity and awareness training. The park also offers designated spaces with adjustable lighting, low noise levels and comfortable seating.

SeaWorld has long partnered with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. Sesame Street Bay of Play opened at SeaWorld San Diego in 2008 and SeaWorld Orlando opened Sesame Street Land in 2019.

"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, the CEO of Sesame Workshop.

"We are thrilled to partner with SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment to introduce the West Coast's only standalone theme park based entirely on the award-winning educational program, Sesame Street. 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 is located at 2052 Entertainment Circle in Chula Vista.