SeaWorld has been on the back foot for much of the past decade; its image has taken some devastating hits, as have its attendance and its finances. But the theme park and entertainment company is looking to make a fresh start: It has been sold, has a new management group (just hiring former Carnival Cruise Lines executive Gus Antorcha as CEO) and now is making some of the biggest changes ever to its Orlando park. The latest news: the opening of Sesame Street at SeaWorld Orlando, a six-acre land with 11 attractions that feature the characters from the landmark Children's Television Workshop show.
The partnership between SeaWorld and Sesame Street stretches more than 40 years; Sesame Street characters have been appearing in SeaWorld's other parks long before this area opened in Orlando on March 27. But the new park area, which coincides with the show's 50th anniversary, takes that relationship to another level.
"The core values of Sesame Street and the core values of SeaWorld are one and the same," said Amanda Trauger, creative manager for theme park development at SeaWorld, who spoke to me via phone on opening day. "Adults will love the nostalgia of seeing characters and sets they loved as kids, and children will love watching their favorite characters and scenes come to life in a fully immersive way."
Sesame Street at SeaWorld Orlando is a re-creation of the "Sesame Street" sets, complete with Mr. Hooper's store, the stoop at apartment building 123, Oscar's trash can and Big Bird's nest. Guests can enter these sets and interact with the characters. In addition, there are attractions such as Big Bird's Twirl 'N' Whirl (similar to the Disney teacups ride), Cookie Monster's Cookie Drop (think of the Frog Hopper ride seen at many amusement parks) and an interactive scavenger hunt train ride hosted by everybody's favorite furry red monster, Elmo. Admission is included with the regular park admission.
"This is the largest expansion of any of our parks to date," said Trauger. "We worked on this project for a little over two years from start to finish."
The new area also features a twice-daily parade (at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.) with 13 life-size "Sesame Street" characters, marking the first time SeaWorld Orlando has staged a parade. The route winds all the way through Sesame Street, so no matter where guests are in the area, they'll be able to enjoy the pageantry. Reserved viewing area access ($20 per person) is available by booking on the SeaWorld website.
Additionally, Sesame Street at SeaWorld features interactive play exhibits where visitors can interact with the characters without having to wait in line for a ride. For example, Elmo's Window comes to life when Elmo comes out to greet guests and dance and sing with them. Guests can also purchase Elmos' Interactive Light-Up Bubble Wand for $40, which, in addition to being a fun toy after kids leave the park, unlocks new ways to play at the interactive exhibits.
Sesame Street at SeaWorld is also a sensory-friendly space, enabling guests on the autism spectrum or with other sensory-processing issues to enjoy the attractions. (Just last week, SeaWorld Orlando, including the Sesame Street at SeaWorld attraction, was designated as a certified autism center by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.)
"We wanted to offer sensory-friendly experiences and relief to our guests, as 'Sesame Street' has done well with incorporating autism awareness into their programming, and SeaWorld has always had these families top of mind in the past," said Trauger.
"We wanted Sesame Street at SeaWorld Orlando to connect families in a new way so they're able to play together and enjoy the characters loved by both generations," said Trauger. "I have a 4-year-old and can't wait to bring him to Sesame Street. It is such a unique way to literally go inside your favorite childhood television show. The nostalgia is so gratifying."
SeaWorld has no plans at this time to introduce similar Sesame Street areas at its San Antonio and San Diego parks. It has smaller Sesame Street Bay of Play areas at those parks.