Sesame Place

What Sesame Place does

Sesame Place is a children's theme park and water park brand operating two wholly-owned locations in Langhorne, Pennsylvania (founded 1980) and Chula Vista, California (opened 2022), serving families with young children ages 2–10. The business operates under a license from Sesame Workshop for use of the Sesame Street character portfolio (Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Julia) and is itself a brand within United Parks & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: PRKS), the corporate parent that also operates SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, Adventure Island, and Water Country USA.

Revenue is generated across a tiered product architecture: core admissions (single-day tickets and Season Pass subscriptions), integrated experience add-ons (character dining such as Dine with Elmo & Friends at $34.99 adult, birthday party packages at $1,999 for 25 guests, Abby's Unlimited Magic Queue, Big Bird's Beach Cabanas at $599.99, reserved parade viewing at $24, and an All-Day Dining Deal at $49.99/$29.99), F&B and merchandise transactions, and seasonal event programming. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the official website, mobile app (iOS/Android), on-site box office, and a dedicated group sales channel for schools, daycares, scout groups, and summer camps at 15+ guest volumes. The Sesame Place Mobile App functions as the primary digital platform, providing interactive park maps, real-time ride wait times, mobile food ordering, and ticket/season pass access across both locations. Park-wide operations are cashless with Cash-to-Card kiosks for converting cash to Visa prepaid cards.

The business is differentiated primarily by the Sesame Street IP license and its industry-first Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation from IBCCES, supported by a Ride Accessibility Program, sensory guides, low sensory rooms, and trained staff. It serves a broader community through long-standing nonprofit partnerships (Make-A-Wish, Give Kids the World, Ronald McDonald House, Variety Children's Charity since 1987, American Red Cross, United Way of Bucks County). The Sesame Place brand itself reports 51–100 corporate-level employees, with on-site seasonal ambassador headcount supporting peak operations from March through December.

Name

Sesame Place

Legal name

Sesame Place

Website

https://sesameplace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sesame Place is a Sesame Street–themed children's theme and water park operating two locations in Philadelphia and San Diego under United Parks & Resorts Inc., serving families with young children through admissions, season passes, character dining, and premium upgrades.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Theme Parks

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (713110), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Amusement Parks & Theme Parks (THAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Standalone/Pay-Per-Entry Water Parks (Day-Visitor Focused) (THAAABAD), Amusement Parks (Regional/Local Ride Parks & Funfairs) (THAJAEAD)

Keywords

• Family theme park
• Character entertainment
• Water park attractions
• Autism certified park
• Birthday party packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Langhorne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Single-day admission tickets sold online and at the gate. Pricing varies by date with group discounts available for 15 or more guests (save over 60%).
2. Season Passes: Annual passes offering unlimited visits, free parking, monthly rewards, and discounts on dining and upgrades.
3. Dine with Elmo & Friends: Character dining experiences with Sesame Street characters, priced at $34.99 for adults and starting at $24.99 for children, including themed menus for various seasonal events.
4. Birthday Party Packages: All-inclusive party packages priced at $1,999 for up to 25 guests including tickets, parking, party room, food, character meet & greet, and party favors. Additional guests at $85 each.
5. Food & Beverage: Multiple dining locations including counter service restaurants, food carts, character dining, and specialty items. All-Day Dining Deal available for $49.99 adults / $29.99 children.
6. Merchandise: Gift shops selling Sesame Street-themed merchandise including plush toys, apparel, souvenirs, and exclusive items. Online store and mail order available.
7. Premium Upgrades: Upsell products including Abby's Unlimited Magic Queue (priority access), Big Bird's Beach Cabanas ($599.99), Reserved Parade Viewing ($24), and All-Day Dining Deals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sesame Place operates Sesame Street-themed family theme parks and water parks at two U.S. locations (Philadelphia, PA and San Diego, CA), selling single-day and season-pass admission, rides, live shows and parades, character meet-and-greets, dining experiences, birthday party packages, and themed seasonal events. The park also offers premium upgrades such as priority queue access, cabana rentals, and reserved parade viewing, supported by a mobile app and park-wide cashless payment infrastructure.

Product overview

Sesame Place is a Sesame Street-themed family theme park and water park with two locations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and San Diego, California. The park operates on a tiered product architecture consisting of core admission products (single-day tickets and season passes), integrated experience add-ons (character dining, priority queue access, cabana rentals, parade viewing), and seasonal event programming. The Sesame Place Mobile App serves as the digital platform enabling park navigation, mobile ordering, and ticket management. Key product categories include themed rides and water attractions, live shows and character meet & greets, birthday party packages, group ticketing, accessibility services, and retail/dining operations. The park's Certified Autism Center designation and Ride Accessibility Program represent specialized service offerings targeting guests with special needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sesame Place Theme Park Admission Single-day and multi-day admission tickets to Sesame Place theme parks in Philadelphia (Langhorne, PA) and San Diego (Chula Vista, CA), granting access to rides, shows, water attractions, and character experiences. Pricing varies by date, with group discounts available for 15 or more guests.
• Season Passes

Quantifiable outcome

• First Certified Autism Center in the world - theme park industry leadership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBCCES provides certification and training programs for Sesame Place to become the world's first Certified Autism Center. Partnership includes sensory guides, staff training curriculum, and ongoing certification support.
• Give Kids the World VillageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit resort in Florida providing wish vacations for critically ill children. Sesame Place arranges visits for wish families and participated in Give Kids the World's Summer Road Trip hosting alumni wish families in Philadelphia area.
• Variety, The Children's Charity of Delaware ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSince 1987, provides exclusive days at Sesame Place for children with disabilities and their families with special accommodations including quiet areas, low sensory shows, and volume adjustments.
• Ronald McDonald House of Southern New JerseyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit providing help and home for families of seriously ill children. Sesame Place ambassadors volunteer to cook meals for pediatric patients and families during Sesame Place Cares volunteer days.
• Make-A-Wish FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSesame Place partners with Make-A-Wish to grant wishes of children diagnosed with critical illnesses, hosting families at the park for memorable experiences with Sesame Street characters.
• American Red CrossminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSesame Place Philadelphia holds several blood drives each year through the American Red Cross. In 2022 alone, the park collected over 300 pints of blood to help patients in need.
• United Way of Bucks CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSince 2013, supports holiday gift programs, school supply drives, and volunteer initiatives. In 2022, organized Back to School Bash collecting over 5,000 school supplies for local families and schools.
• Cradles to CrayonsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides essential items to children experiencing homelessness or low-income situations. Partnership began in 2013 for item collections; in March 2024 collected new and gently used books for young readers in honor of National Reading Month.
• African American Museum of Bucks CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEstablished in 2014 to educate and enrich lives of Bucks County families. Sesame Place is a proud sponsor and hosted a Juneteenth mobile museum pop-up exhibit in June 2023.
• Gather PlaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican history museum in Yardley, Pennsylvania dedicated to preserving history and fostering community engagement. Since 2022, Sesame Place has provided volunteer opportunities for employees.
• Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic 5KminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual 5K run since 1999 sponsored by Levittown Bristol Kiwanis Club and Bucks County Herald. Proceeds fund Dick Dougherty Honorarium Awards for Bucks County college-bound students, generating over $500,000 as of 2023.
• United Parks & Resorts Inc.coreOthersParent company operating Sesame Place alongside SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Aquatica, Adventure Island, Water Country USA, and Discovery Cove. Enables cross-park marketing, bundled pass offerings, and shared corporate infrastructure.
• SeaWorld San DiegominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNearby SeaWorld park listed as 'San Diego Parks' partner on Sesame Place San Diego website, enabling cross-promotion and bundled experiences for visitors to the San Diego area.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LEGOLAND Parks (Merlin Entertainments): LEGOLAND operates multi-location, IP-licensed theme parks targeted at young children (ages 2-12) and their families. It is the most direct comparable given similar IP-driven, family-young-child positioning and multi-park U.S. footprint.
• SeaWorld: Sister park under United Parks & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: PRKS), sharing corporate ownership, cross-park marketing, and bundled pass architecture. Directly comparable operating model with combined theme park and water park components.
• Busch Gardens: Another sister park under United Parks & Resorts, operating large-scale theme parks in Tampa and Williamsburg. Shares the same parent infrastructure, season pass products, and operational playbook as Sesame Place.
• Hersheypark: Regional, family-focused theme park in Hershey, Pennsylvania that competes for the same Mid-Atlantic family demographic. Comparable size, seasonal operating model, and family entertainment positioning.
• Dutch Wonderland: Smaller Pennsylvania-based theme park specifically designed for families with young children. Closely matches Sesame Place's narrow age demographic focus and single-state regional footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Knott's Berry Farm: Established California regional theme park owned by Cedar Fair, offering family entertainment with broader demographic appeal. Competes for the same family visit dollars in the western U.S. market.
• Cedar Fair (Cedar Point, Kings Island, Carowinds): Major regional amusement park operator with a deep U.S. portfolio. While parks like Cedar Point skew older demographic, the broader Cedar Fair portfolio competes directly for regional family entertainment spend.
• Six Flags: Largest U.S. regional theme park operator with parks concentrated in mid-size markets. Competes for the family entertainment wallet, though typically skews to teens and thrill-seekers rather than young children.
• Disney Parks (Walt Disney World, Disneyland): Dominant global theme park incumbent offering comprehensive family experiences across all ages. Competes for premium family vacation dollars and sets industry benchmarks for IP-driven character experiences.
• Universal Parks (Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure): Major destination theme park operator leveraging blockbuster film IPs (Harry Potter, Marvel). Competes for family entertainment dollars, particularly for multi-day trips where Sesame Place may be a secondary stop.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/84961

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sesame Place