Who's been to Sesame Place?

[ADisneyQueen]

This year we are not going to Disney, so I am going through withdrawl. Sesame Place is only a few hours away, and although it won't be as good, it will have to do. We were there 3 years ago.
While looking at the map, I noticed that some of the rides/activities say 7 and under only. We have an 8 yr. old that is very thin(45lbs.) and is a little shorter for her age(people sometimes think she is 7). Are there employees there who will not let her on these things with her 4 yr. old sister and tall 7 yr. old friend? She is not the type of child who will be knocking down smaller children because she's bigger. It's the 4 yr. old who i am worried about and that's why I want them to go together. I am not looking to be flamed. I have been there and noticed that there are older children/teens there and am thinking that's why they made an age limit. Thanks

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

Hi
We live 10 minuts from sesame place. There are ALWAYS big kids on the rides, I really dont think you willl have a problem.

Have fun

 

[Torontogal]

and overall it was good - not great! We were disappointed of the location. It was located smack in the middle of a mall parking lot rather than a special amusement park area away from traffic. We managed to see the whole thing in about 3-4 hours. My son loved the water play area and the parade was really nice.
I found it a little pricey for what you are getting but if cost is not a factor and your child is a HUGE sesame fan - they will enjoy it.

 

[Jackson4]

We live about 10 minutes from sesame place. Its okay. Children will enjoy it but it gets extremely crowded in the summer!!!!! And peolpe aren't as nice as WDW. Have you ever been to Hershey Park? Very clean and very nice fun for kids of all ages!! We go there at Christmas every year. Usually stay at the Hershey lodge. The Hershey Lodge & Hershey Hotel have bus shuttles back & forth to the park.

 

[pbharris4]

We live about 10 minutes from sesame place. Its okay. Children will enjoy it but it gets extremely crowded in the summer!!!!! And peolpe aren't as nice as WDW. Have you ever been to Hershey Park? Very clean and very nice fun for kids of all ages!! We go there at Christmas every year. Usually stay at the Hershey lodge. The Hershey Lodge & Hershey Hotel have bus shuttles back & forth to the park.

Hershey is a nice park! I haven't been to Sesame Place, but always wanted to go there. I grew up in PA and miss going to Hershey. I'll have to take my kids there sometime soon! I love Chocolatetown USA.

 

[akayf]

I went to Sesame many times as a child. I was very small for my age plus looked several years younger. My brother is 5 years younger than me and my mom had me take him on some of the slides that I was a year or 2 too old for since she didn't want him to do them solo. We never had a problem. Of course that was 20 years ago since I'm now 29.....

 

[Jackson4]

Hershey is a nice park! I haven't been to Sesame Place, but always wanted to go there. I grew up in PA and miss going to Hershey. I'll have to take my kids there sometime soon! I love Chocolatetown USA.

I think the smell of Hershey alone is worth the trip

 

[dlrhine]

As you can see in my signature I'm from Harrisburg PA and have season passes to both Sesame Place and also Hersheypark. We go to Hersheypark 2-3 times a week and just got back from Sesame Place on July 5th. We were there for the day. So far this year we were at Sesame Place June 4th, July 5th, and going again Aug. 20th. On weekends Sesame Place can be very crowded but not too bad on the weekdays. It takes us two days with a 3 & 4 year old girls. The first day we do all the shows with some of the water stuff and rides in between and then do dinner with the Characters (really worth the money you get the signatures and nice personal time with them and the food isn't bad). The second day we do just the water stuff and rides, which my girls love. As far as Hersheypark vs. Sesame Place. Hersheypark is nicer but Sesame Place isn't bad. If you have any other questions you can PM me.
Have fun!

 

[NYRN]

We have been to both.
My grand daughter are getting to old for Sesame Place, but I am sure the oldr kids would love Hershey Park!

 

[Figment&Piglet]

We, too, were thinking of going to Sesame Place (but a 5-hour drive, UGH!) and wondered if it was close to Hershey at all (i.e., could we do both in one trip) and if not, what else is close to Sesame Place? Assuming we take 2 days to see it, that would leave us 1 1/2 - 2 more days to do other things. And does it take a full 2 days to see Sesame Place if we're going on weekdays (probably Tues and Wed) in early August? Finally, where are good places to stay -- I understand the Sheraton is right next door and has an indoor pool? Anywhere else you'd recommend staying, visiting, eating? Thanks for the advice...

 

[ADisneyQueen]

We are staying at the holiday inn express in langhorne and it is rated #1 by reviews at tripadvisor. It has a free breakfast(expanded continental) bar. I"ll let you know how it is. Unfortunately, we will be there on a Sat. and Sun. Three years ago when we were there Sat. was crowded but not Sun.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I vote Hershey again over Seaseme anyday. I thought Seaseme place was WAY overpriced for what was there as well.
I wuold do Hershey 10x's over instead of going back to Seaseme place..if those were my only options.

 

[PatricenPete]

We've been to Sesame Place a few times. I will say that it is adorable. It is really cute and the parade and shows are really cute. Our DS (8 months) had a fun time. However, it is HORRIBLY overpriced and I am not just referring to the admission. For two of us to have lunch was $26!!!!! It made me thank god for Disney prices! If Disney prices were that high, I would have to rob a bank before every trip.

 

[ChrisAlli]

I have had a season pass to Sesame for the past three years. My children are 3 and 17 months. It's really a nice park. The location isn't the resort type feel or anything but it's the prefect size for the little ones. They have a new parade this year and have added Baby Bear character. My nephews are 9 and 12 and they still have a great time. The age restrictions really aren't followed which can be annoying when you have little ones. Some water play areas and some small activities are just for the little guys, but most things are for everyone. The Sheraton across the street has just been redone and I think the Holiday Inn used to be a Machintosh, the Sheraton has a shuttle bus I think. It can get very busy on the weekends because you also have all us locals, but during the week isn't bad. The park is now open from 10 to 8 so if you're right acroos the street you could take a break at lunch and come back. There are a lot of cheaper food places close by, Burger King, Taco Bell, the Oxford Valley Mall has a food court plus may sit down restraunts, Fridays, Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, Chilis, Don Pablos, Pizzaria Uno. So you don't have to eat in the park, it is quite $$$.

The shows are cute and they have the characters out all the time, they have two photo meet the character places called 123 smile. Usually Elmo one side and Cookie the other or Big Bird. There are two parades this time of year, usually 1 and 6. It really is a nice park, but it's not Disney. I do believe the ticket price Elmo's passport, includes two days admission also and if it rains continuosly for more than an hour you get another days ticket, their "Rainy Day Gaurantee".

Hershey is nice also but not too much for the real little one. You can drive there from Langhorne and back in a day. It's about a two hour drive. Great Adventure is closer but not my favorite place, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ is only an hour away and that's nice, a little expensive for a beach but it's nice and clean. There are two great state parks very close. Core Creek Park and Tyler State park. Dutch Wonderland but I've never been there.

I really like Sesame and so do the kids, we're there at least once a week, so if you need any more info just ask! I live in Langhorne

 

[princesspiglet]

We live in Harrisburg also. We have only been to Sesame Place twice. My daughter is almost 3. It usually takes us about 3-5 hours to do the whole park. My DH is in the military, so we get to go free this year. I agree that it is way overpriced. We also love to go to Hersheypark. We are only about 10 minutes away. My daughter loves Chocolate World. We have also been to Dutch Wonderland and think that is great. It is about an hour away and another hour to Sesame Place. If you can do all three in one trip, I would try it. Plan on spending an entire day at Hersheypark and Dutch Wonderland though.

 

[justcantwait]

yesterday from PA. We did Hershey (but not Hershey Park), Dutch Wonderland, and Sesame Place with DS6 and DD2. Stayed at the Hershey Lodge for 3 nights, did Chocolate World, Dutch Wonderland, PA Dutch (Amish) country, then drove about 2 hours to Langhorne. Stayed at Courtyard by Marriott for 3 nights (not impressed!). Did Sesame Place, NJ State Aquarium, then came home. All in all. loved the Hershey Lodge. Lots for the kids to do, convenient to lots of activities, food was good and reasonably priced. We didn't do Hershey Park because our kids are a little small, and not daredevils (yet!). Dutch Wonderland more than suited them. The kids LOVED Chocolate World, and also really liked the trolley ride around Hershey. Sesame Place was a big hit too, even for my son, who said it was for babies but got "into" it more than the 2 year old! Even if your kids are not huge Sesame Street fans, they'll still know the characters and have a good time. We were there from 9am (did the character breakfast, lots of fun), rides, water stuff (also a big hit), watched the parade. Yes, food was a little pricey in the park. But if you're used to Disney prices, it's still cheaper. The hotel didn't have a restaurant that served dinner, so we ate at an Olde Country Buffet one night, a restaurant called Carlucci's the second night (really good Italian food!), and Mickey D's on our last night. It was a really good trip, but we could have used another day in each location. I'd be happy to answer any other ??s.

Kathy

 

[Chris]

This year we are not going to Disney, so I am going through withdrawl. Sesame Place is only a few hours away, and although it won't be as good, it will have to do. We were there 3 years ago.
While looking at the map, I noticed that some of the rides/activities say 7 and under only. We have an 8 yr. old that is very thin(45lbs.) and is a little shorter for her age(people sometimes think she is 7). Are there employees there who will not let her on these things with her 4 yr. old sister and tall 7 yr. old friend? She is not the type of child who will be knocking down smaller children because she's bigger. It's the 4 yr. old who i am worried about and that's why I want them to go together. I am not looking to be flamed. I have been there and noticed that there are older children/teens there and am thinking that's why they made an age limit. Thanks

This is the first year in the past 4 we aren't going to Sesame <yet anyway>.
My kids really enjoy it, even my 10 year old because of the water!!
Anyway, I think your 8 year old will do fine, I've never seen them stop any child.

have fun!

 

[bjakmom]

So glad to see this post !!! Just had to cancel a week long trip with DNeph (7) and was planning on taking him and DGrD (23months) to Sesame Street for 2 days instead. It's less than a 2 hour drive for me and I was going to stay at the Sheraton across the street - go into the park in the mornings for a few hours - back to hotel for naps - change into suits and back to park for a little swimming. I was going to stay 3 nights so we could have 2 full leisurely days. Sounded great to me until my niece told me that they went and found it dirty and crowded with lots of kids running wild over the little ones (the 'unsupervised kids" complaint) - but that was 5 years ago and she said maybe it's changed. Then DDs friend said she went last year with her 1 1/2 yo and found very little that he could do without them- and many things that they couldn't go through with him. - now that I'm reading your good reviews I'm thinking again that it might be fun! What do you think? I've been watching both of them since they were born, so they are great for me when out and used to being together (without the bro/sis fighting!) - I was going to go on a Tues/Weds thinking it would be the least crowded.
Kathy - what was your 2 yo able to do? I was also thinking of doing the dinner at the end of the second day, once she was used to the characters.

 

[marcyinPA]

We did Sesame Place once when my kids were 2 and 6...they had a good time but I personally did not care for it. I didn't like the location of the park, and we had a bad experience with people cursing at their kids. Not the parks fault, but it put a bad taste in my mouth.

We love Hershey, but haven't taken our kids yet (although we did take my youngest for Candy Lane once). We are waiting to take them when they go on more rides.

The park we LOVE is Knoebels. We just went there this past week and had a great time. It's free admission, free parking, and you pay for the rides either by the ticket or with the all day ride pass (if you want) during the week. The food is VERY good, and not very expensive at all. It is located just south of Bloomsburg in central PA.

 

[3boysmomma]

I took my 3 boys to sesame in 2003. My twins were 15 mos. at the time and my oldest was almost 4. they loved it BUT 3 days later my oldest developed severe abdominal pain and diarrhea and was ultimately hospitalized for 4 days unable to take anything by mouth. He was diagnosed with a bacteria called Campylobacter, that by the Department of Health traced back to our visit at Sesame! The day that we spent there was all in all a good time but not worth the horrible pain that my son had to go through.