ORLANDO, Fla. —
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Just in time to celebrate the iconic television series’ 50th birthday, SeaWorld Orlando has opened its own Sesame Street.
It’s been five decades since we first traveled to Sesame Street on PBS, a magical street where children learn friendship, inclusivity, kindness and fun. Those who grew up with Sesame Street will enjoy how much the area stays faithful to the original world of Elmo, Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Children getting their first taste of Sesame Street can experience it and interact with Sesame Street in a technology-driven way.
SeaWorld spent 18 months overhauling Shamu’s Happy Harbor into the 6-acre Sesame Street land.
How to get to Sesame Street? Below is everything you'll find when the neighborhood opens Wednesday.
Previous: Sesame Street at SeaWorld opens March 27
Sesame Street at SeaWorld
5 things to know about SeaWorld’s Sesame Street
There are 6 rides and two playgrounds
The rides are the same ones that were part of Shamu’s Happy Harbor, but they’ve been updated with new ride vehicles and Sesame Street details.
Abby’s Flower Tower: Ride in colorful flower pots and get a “fairy’s-eye view” of Sesame Street.
Big Bird’s Twirl ‘n’ Whirl: Spin around in your own nest and sing along with Big Bird.
Cookie Monster’s Cookie Drop: Hitch a ride on a batch of cookies while Cookie Monster bounces you up and down like he’s dunking a cookie.
Elmo’s Choo-Choo Train: A train ride around Sesame Street’s park turns into a scavenger hunt as Elmo helps you look for butterflies and Twiddlebugs.
Slimey’s Slider: Swing and swoop through Oscar the Grouch’s treasure of trash in Slimey’s special “boat.”
Super Grover’s Box Car Derby: This kiddie coaster has just enough thrills for parents while being themed after every kids’ favorite furry superhero.
Rubber Duckie Water Works: Sesame Street even has a mini water park with fountains, pop jets and Ernie and Rubber Duckie.
Count-Around Playground: A good old fashioned playground themed after friendly vampire Count.
Let this Elmo bubble wand be your guide
Like another “magical” Orlando theme park that uses wands to interact with attractions, Sesame Street offers Elmo bubble wands that make things happen around the street. Touch Elmo’s head to a square with a yellow star to make things move, hear fun noises and get messages from Sesame Street characters.
SeaWorld said there are 30 interactive elements around Sesame Street, and not all of them require a wand. There are plenty of doorbells to ring, buttons to push and interactive windows with Elmo, Bert and Ernie and the Yip Yip Martians.
Stay for the parade
All of Sesame Street comes out to sing, dance and interact with its “new neighbors” during the Party Parade. The parade floats and characters set up around the entire Sesame Street area for a non-stop dance party. It may be SeaWorld’s first parade, but it’s more of a high-energy, interactive show. The party starts twice a day, every day at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Eat on the street
Eat on the street with three options for snacks, meals and sweet treats.
Sesame Sips has character-inspired smoothies, Coca-Cola ice cream floats and fruit icees.
ABC Eats has chicken tenders three ways - regular fried, Hawaiian grilled with BBQ sauce and Asian tempura.
Yummy Yummy Nom Noms has grilled cheese sandwiches four ways: Hawaiian with pulled pork, bacon bits, cheddar and BBQ sauce; Italian with grilled chicken, spinach, white cheddar and balsamic glaze; turkey melt with tomato and American cheese; and veggie with basil spinach, pesto and cheddar.
Slow it down
SeaWorld’s Sesame Street is impressively immersive for being only six acres part of a larger theme park. A family could spend a whole day pressing buttons, meeting characters, riding rides and pounding on Oscar the Grouch’s trash can.
The area is designed to feel as is the characters really live there. The land feels like a real urban neighborhood with interactive brick buildings, the famous 123 stoop and miniature gardens. Giving it a modern feel are numerous high-definition screens that let kids talk to characters like Elmo in his window.
Everything is meant to be touched and talked to, but don’t forget to look up and around. Above the theater where you can meet Elmo and Cookie Monster are parody posters for “Les Monsterables,” “Scramilton” and “Bearspray.”
Some of the cutest Easter Eggs are in Big Bird’s nest, where the famous yellow bird and his friend read stories to kids who sit around him. Situated on one of his shelves is a selfie of him and Snuffleupagus.
Sesame Street is included with SeaWorld admission. Find out more here.
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