Revisiting The Debut of the Most Splashtacular Season Ever at Sesame Place!
Sesame Place Philadelphia’s 2023 Splashtacular Season kicked off Memorial Day Weekend with the Grand Opening of Big Bird’s Beach, Bert & Ernie’s Splashy Shores, and Small Talk with Big Bird.
Saturday morning the park held a Grand Opening Ceremony at the entryway of Big Bird’s Beach to officially introduce the new attractions! After the ceremony, guests were invited to grab their bathing suits and start to splish, splash, spray, and play at Bert & Ernie’s Splashy Shores and Big Bird’s Beach along with enjoying a full day of fun in the sun at Sesame Place.
We were thrilled to have the chance to attend the festivities and to see all of the improvements and new additions firsthand. Here’s a recap of the day and if you didn't get a chance to visit this past season a preview of the things you will get to enjoy the next time you do. Come along and enjoy a Splashtacular visit to Sesame Place with us!
Splashtacular Grand Opening Ceremony
After we entered the park we joined many who had gathered to the left of Sesame Plaza in anticipation of the Grand Opening Ceremony at the entrance to Big Bird’s Beach. Many of the Sesame Street Friends kicked things off and then Park President, Cathy Valeriano, talked about the new additions and thanked all attending.
Now that we had the chance to hear all about the new additions what better way to open the new areas than by having a Countdown?
Hey Count, Can You Help Us Out?
Thanks Count! Now…
Big Bird's Beach
A New Tropical Oasis at Sesame Place Philadelphia
Big Bird’s Beach is a new tropical-themed land where the vibes are chill, and your furry and feathered friends are ready for splashy water fun! Located in the area previously known as Twiddlebug Land, this new land has exciting water slides, a family-friendly wave pool, a refreshing splash & spray area, and shaded seating areas in this watery paradise. Exclusive cabanas with access to a private splash area are available for purchase to make your day extra special and relaxing.
Elmo’s Surf ‘n’ Slide
Hang Ten with Elmo!
Catch a wave and climb aboard this six-person raft for a monstrously good time! This six-story family raft ride sends you on a swirling, swishing, splashing adventure as you surf down accelerator slides toward the final splashdown! It’s rad water fun for the whole family!
Rosita’s Seaside Slides
Splish-Splashing Tube Slides
Enjoy a splish-splashing ride down these slides in a single or double-seater tube that will have you smiling all-the-way to the end. Rosita’s Seaside Slides is fun for the whole family, and especially for younger children who can enjoy these slides with a supervising companion.
Little Bird's Bay
Come Play in The Bay
Have a “swell” time in Little Bird’s Bay and enjoy the rolling waves in this 10,000-square-foot family wave pool. With plenty of seating and surrounding shade, it’s a great place to chill out, cool off, and splash around. With a maximum water depth of 18 inches, Little Bird’s Bay is perfect for smaller children.
Abby's Splash & Spray Garden
Fairy Water Fun
Cool off in Abby’s Splash & Spray Garden where the water is refreshing, and the vibe is magical. Adjacent to Rosita’s Seaside Slides, this water oasis is a great place to splash, play, and spray!
Big Bird's Beach Cabanas
Upgrade Your Day
If you want to upgrade your day with a little more of a VIP experience Big Bird’s Beach Cabanas are centrally located within Big Bird’s Beach.
But Where Are Bert & Ernie?
Making Our Way Over to Splashy Shores
Bert & Ernie’s Splashy Shores
An ALL-NEW Water Play Adventure at Sesame Place Philadelphia!
Grab your best buddies and come splish, splash, spray, and play in this all-new water adventure area. This water play area features a water curtain, tipping buckets, spraying jets, a water bobble, and a spraying water tower.
Located on Sesame Island, Bert & Ernie’s Splashy Shores is the perfect place for the whole family to cool off with plenty of splashy water fun, and shaded seating all around. For all your Instagram-worthy pics when here don’t forget to tag #SesamePlaceSplashyShores.
Small Talk with Big Bird
Visit Big Bird’s nest for an all-new, enhanced Meet & Greet experience with Sesame Street’s tallest feathered friend! Come by to chit-chat and take a photo with Big Bird himself.
There is no doubt these types of meet and greet photo ops are gold here at Sesame Place. Don’t be surprised if you find your longest line of the day to be meeting Big Bird or another Sesame Street friend so make sure to plan accordingly.
Rubber Duckie
But Where Did The Rubber Duckie Go?
Glad you asked, other than the smaller one being in my drink earlier, the iconic Rubber Duckie, which sat atop Sky Splash, now lives just between the Sesame Street Neighborhood and Sunny Day Carousel. Guests are now able to take photos with this larger-than-life Sesame Place icon for the first time this summer!
Furry Friends Dance Party & Meets
As if there hasn’t been enough fun already you can also check out the Furry Friends Dance Party which is located on the Oscars Wacky Taxi Stage. You get to dance, sing, and groove along with your Sesame Street friends during this interactive dance party.
This also drew a strong crowd so get there early if you want to be close. In the Sesame Place app, all the different show and meet times are listed to help you plan your day.
Speaking of Meeting Sesame Street Friends, Zoe, is an energetic 3-year-old who loves to dance and sing. She has a big imagination and a pet rock named Rocco. Here she welcomes another guest with open arms for a great pic!
Sesame Street Party Parade
Located Along Parade Route
Wow! What’s everyone lined up for? You got it! It’s parade time. As we’ve shared before this is a highlight to any day at Sesame Place. The Sesame Street Party Parade allows kids and families to experience an energetic neighborhood block party on the iconic Sesame Street with Elmo and more of their favorite furry friends. We highly recommend that you line up along the parade route ahead of the scheduled start time to get the best views of the show. Below are just some highlights of what you get to enjoy during the parade.
Cookie Monster Wants To Know
Do You Want To Get To Sesame Place?
Something Big Is Coming!
When we originally attended this Splashtacular Event there wasn't much to share other than seeing these front entrance construction walls up. A large new building was starting to take shape and the signs said Something BIG is Coming! However, we didn't have to wait until 2024 to find out what it would be. On Sunday, October 8th we attended the grand opening of the largest Sesame Street-themed store, Sesame Place Store! Keep a look out for our recap from that day, coming soon!
Hope You've Enjoyed
Our Latest Visit to Sesame Place Philadelphia
We had a great time taking in all the new with Big Bird’s Beach, Bert & Ernie’s Splashy Shores, Small Talk with Big Bird, and just everything that makes Sesame Place such a great place to visit for all. On a side note, I finally got to ride Oscar’s Wacky Taxi and that is an incredible little woodie. Don’t let its size fool you, it is a lot of fun with some nice ejector air to go with it and it’s smooth.
For now, let’s finish this post the same way we started it. With a little countdown from Count von Count this time using his Splash Castle!
We thank the Team at Sesame Place Philadelphia for giving us a chance to enjoy their Most Splashtacular Season Ever! Regardless of if you visited in 2023 or not we highly recommend that you make plans to visit the park in 2024! Sesame Place Philadelphia is a great family-friendly park that features something for everyone. We appreciate you checking out our recap too!