Sesame Place, located in Langhorne, PA, is a wonderful amusement park suitable for families with young children. For tips on how to save on Sesame Place entrance tickets and dining experiences, please read my other Sesame Place article. Although Sesame Place is only 90 minute away from New York and only a 30 minute from Philadelphia, like most amusement parks, maximum enjoyment needs some advance planning and logistics. Here is what to do, when to go, and what to avoid so that Sesame Place is the maximum fun and minimum stress for your tiny tots.
Children over 3 years can generally spend the entire day at Sesame Place. When my child was younger, we left home after lunch, had him nap in the car and got to Sesame Place when he was ready to wake up. This also worked well when we bought Twilight tickets. Now we plan on being there the whole day, so we arrive before the scheduled opening to get the better parking spots and shorter lines. Although we never stayed overnight, our friends recommend the Courtyard at Marriott, which is in walking distance to Sesame Place but also runs a shuttle.
Before our first few visits, we reviewed the Sesame Place online map and noted the attractions that were on our must-visit list. For example, we excluded the ones that were too scary for our child (Vapor Trail, Sky Splash or Sesame Streak) or or ones that seemed geared towards younger children (Teeny Tiny Tidal Pool, Ernie's Waterworks). The early morning hours are great to hit the dry rides like the Sunny Day Carousel, Big Bird's Balloon Race, Flyin' Fish, Grover's World Twirl or Ernie's Bed Bounce, because the lines get long and kids get tired of waiting. When we don’t expect very long lines (say in mid-May), we arrive in our swim clothes and do the wet rides first, which amounts to one less change of clothes.
Like other amusement parks, large plastic strollers with canopies are available for rent at Sesame Place. However, we bring a small inexpensive stroller which navigates the crowds well and leave the big diaper bag in the car. We carry a waterproof case with cash, a credit card, ID and car keys and leave a small bag with basic necessities (drinks, snacks, towels, sunblock, couple of diapers, change of clothes) etc. in the stroller. Shade is tough to find at Sesame Place, except a few umbrellas near the Count's Splash Castle, so everyone wears hats.
Despite the best efforts at planning ahead, kids will be kids. There have been times when we had to change our plans at Sesame Place because it is too hot, too crowded or our child is simply not up to it. Since Count's Splash Castle, Tidal pool, and Block play area don't have any lines, they are our best bet when things are not going according to plan. In fact, with the umbrellas and changing areas, Count's Splash Castle typically becomes our home base at Sesame Place. The other option, besides the restaurant, that allows kids to wind down is the live show. The main theater offers an air conditioned respite which can help calm down little kids. Just be prepared to stand in line at least 15 minutes before the show.
Sesame Place hosts weekend Halloween Spooktaculars (with trick or treating), a Furry Christmas Party, and weekend Fall/Winter days. Wet rides are always open from Memorial to Labor Day, but sometimes they are open on other days. Call the infoline (866-GO-4-ELMO) for ride closings. Sesame Place fireworks details are posted on the special events calendar, which also offers tips for viewing. Be warned, the entrance/exit is blocked off 30 minutes before the show, and families can be split up as a result of going to the car to get the camera.
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