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We’ve been wanting to visit Sesame Place for quite some time, and this summer felt like the perfect time to do so. Sesame Place is a children’s theme park and waterpark, and quite frankly, a kids’ dream to visit. And with four boys ranging from 3 to 8, finding fun things to do during the summer is a must.
Sesame Place has over 25 rides, including water rides and tons of play areas, live shows, and, of course, character meet-and-greets. While the sesame place was quite the adventure, there were a few things we wished we had known before visiting. Here are a few takeaways from our trip with the boys.
- Location: 100 Sesame Rd, Langhorne, PA 19047
- Hours: Open 10:00 AM every day. Closing hours vary: 5 pm-8:30 PM
- Ticket Prices: Regular admission ticket prices vary -Weekdays $39, Weekends $48-53
- Any day ticket $64 (must be used within 6 months)
- Group tickets (15+): $35 each
- Children 2 and under are Free
- Parking: $40 – General parking $60 – Preferred parking (smaller lot, closer to the gate)
Our Day:
Getting to the Park: We left New York City and drove about 90 minutes to Langhorne, PA. We arrived at 11:30 and parked in the preferred parking lot. It took us approximately 30 minutes to wait in line and gain admission to the park.
There are a few cute places to take pictures before entering the park, including plant sculptures of the various Sesame Street characters. Upon arrival, we went through metal detectors. It was a seamless process. We had a stroller and one large bag with water bottles, towels, and other necessities. Then, we started to explore the park!
Rides: We went on four rides with our older kids. Each ride has a ruler at the entrance of the line, which determines if your child can ride on their own or with adult supervision. The rides were designed for a younger audience, the roller coaster didn’t have any crazy turns or heights, and the length of each ride was about 2-3 minutes.
We rode on “Elmo’s Cloud Chaser”, a big swing that goes up in the air and spins around. My five-year-old loved it. He said he felt like he was flying. We rode the “vapor trail”. This ride is right by the entrance. It was my seven-year-old’s first roller coaster, and he was so proud of himself after riding it.
We went on the “Sunny Day carousel”. This ride was a typical carousel; honestly, I would skip this one next time; the wait was long, and the ride was very short. We rode “Honker Dinger Derby”. This ride has a minimum height requirement so only one of the boys could go on. He had a great time, it is a “spintastic” ride … We also played some of the carnival games, and the kids each won a stuffy!
The Count’s Splash Castle: This is where we spent the majority of our time. The younger kids played with us in the shallow water at the entrance of the pool, and the older two ran around together. They had a wonderful time, and it is enclosed, so we felt safe letting them explore.
Lunch: When it was time to break for lunch, we played with the kids in the 123 Playground and ordered pizza with the QR code. The lines for the restaurants were very long, and seating was limited. With the QR code we got a notification when our food was ready, and took the food to eat outside at a picnic table. The food (as is true for most theme parks) was pretty expensive; we spent a little over $100 for everyone to eat. Next time I will bring lunch to save time and money.
Accommodations: We left when the park closed and didn’t stay in Langhorne for the night. There is a Sheraton right down the street, as well as a few other reasonably priced hotels nearby. However, the hotels are not within walking distance. Call to see if your chosen hotel has a shuttle to the park. On our way back to NYC, we stopped to eat at a Shake Shack in a NJ rest stop. The burgers were delicious!
Do:
- Bring a Water Bottle and a Small Cooler with Snacks– The official guidance says no outside food or drinks are allowed. However, we found that patrons can bring a cooler or an insulated bag smaller than 12×12. That is perfect for some fruit and light snacks.
- Pack Lunch and Leave it in the Car– This park allows for readmission with a stamp, so if you arrive early, you can leave, eat lunch at the picnic tables outside of the park near the entrance, and return for more fun in the afternoon!
- Do arrive with swimsuits already on- We did not do this, but I wish we had. The bathrooms with changing stations had a line, and the kids were anxious to get in the water on a hot day. The water park was their favorite part of the day.
- Download the App-I know, there’s an app for everything these days, but I found the app to be extremely helpful to order food, plan the rides we wanted to visit, prepay for parking, and much more.
- Plan ahead– It turned out to be a pretty expensive day. Next time, I will plan our meals better and set a budget for extras like souvenirs or stuffies for the kids to take home.
Don’t:
- Bring Cash– The park is completely cashless. I found it easiest to use the mobile pay option on my phone. However, you can use credit cards. There is also an atm system to convert cash into a Visa prepaid debit card.
- Wait in Line for Food- Use the QR Codes; Elmo’s Pizza Kitchen, ABC Eats, and Big Bird’s Burgers and Bites all have QR code menus. You can order and pick up your food, greatly reducing wait times. Our kids played in the playground while we waited.
- Some of the other options for snacks, such as Rita’s Italian ices and the various food trucks throughout the park, don’t have this option, and those lines can get long. It’s great to save some of the kids’ patience for lines when promised a tasty treat at the end.
- Leave Little Ones at Home– Children under two are free, and while options for rides are limited, our twin toddlers had a great day! They enjoyed the playground, the characters they saw, and the splash pad.
Have you been to Sesame Place? Did your family enjoy it? Share your insider tips for navigating the theme park in the comments!
