The holiday season is synonymous with creating cherished memories, and what better place to do so than at a festive Christmas event? For families with young children, Sesame Street Place Philadelphia offers a uniquely enchanting experience: A Very Furry Christmas. As the original theme park dedicated to the beloved PBS show Sesame Street, it promises a heartwarming holiday celebration with everyone’s favorite furry monsters. Having visited before, we were eager to explore the recent park updates and immerse ourselves in the Christmas spirit, Sesame Street style!
One of the most appealing aspects of A Very Furry Christmas is its accessible pricing. Compared to other theme park admissions, day tickets are quite reasonable. We even snagged an online deal, securing a 2-day visit for just $40 per person, valid for a return trip within four months. To enhance our experience, we opted for advance Preferred Parking, although at $45 per car, it felt a bit steep. While ticket savings are a definite perk, it’s wise to budget for food and merchandise within Sesame Place, as tempting treats and souvenirs abound, especially with the exciting new shopping destination in the neighborhood.
Sesame Street Place Store Front
Speaking of shopping, the newly inaugurated Sesame Place Store, which opened in Fall 2023, is a fantastic addition to the park. Strategically positioned at the parking lot’s edge, before the ticketed entrance, it’s a shopper’s paradise accessible even without park tickets. Our experience inside was exceptional. The store is spacious, brightly lit, and easy to navigate. Boasting 6,800 square feet, it proudly holds the title of the world’s largest Sesame-themed store! Impressively, the staff’s service rivaled even Disney Parks, known for their guest relations, with friendly employees eager to assist and enhance our shopping experience.
Sesame Street Plush Toys Display
Inside the Sesame Place Store, a treasure trove of exclusive Sesame Street merchandise awaits. Unique Christmas ornaments, stylish logo apparel, and an overwhelming assortment of plush toys are just some of the delights. Notably, they even featured the legendary “Guy Smiley” in plush form, a rare find for dedicated fans!
Elmo Plush Toy Selection
Sesame Street Christmas Ornaments
Sesame Street Apparel Section
Guy Smiley Plush Toy
For a limited time, the store also hosts a truly remarkable sight: the World’s Largest Elmo Plush. This colossal Elmo, created by Just Play for Toy Fair and generously loaned to Sesame Place, is stationed near the toy section within a cordoned-off area. Signage gently reminds excited children to admire Elmo with their eyes only. It’s an unmissable attraction and a perfect photo opportunity for anyone visiting Sesame Street Place.
World's Largest Elmo Plush at Sesame Place Store
Family Photo with World's Largest Elmo Plush
Just steps away from the Sesame Place Store, another charming new addition awaits. A delightful “street” lined with “buildings” inspired by the iconic architecture of Sesame Street’s New York City and nearby Philadelphia creates an immersive experience. The Muppet-inspired Philadelphia Museum of Art facade is so detailed, you might expect to see Rocky Balboa himself running up the steps! While these structures are facades only, their whimsical theming and meticulous craftsmanship sparked a wish to step inside and explore further.
Sesame Street Place Inspired Building Facades
Muppet Version of Philadelphia Museum of Art at Sesame Place
Sesame Street Place Building Facade Details
Sesame Street Place Building Facade Architecture
Whimsical Building Facade at Sesame Street Place
While the Sesame Place Store is a must-see, park entry is located just to the right of it. Whether you visit the store first or not, the security checkpoint is conveniently located. Following security, the park admission area allows for ticket purchases or scanning pre-purchased tickets on your phone. Our entry process was remarkably smooth, setting the tone for a day of seamless fun.
Sesame Street Place Entrance Archway
Sesame Street Place Park Map
Sesame Place truly shines during A Very Furry Christmas with its dazzling Christmas light displays. In my opinion, the park’s ambiance is best enjoyed as dusk settles. With closing times around 6 or 7 pm during this season, we opted for an early afternoon visit to maximize daylight fun and food before the festive lights illuminated the park.
Speaking of food, my past experiences with dining at Sea World Parks (Sesame Place’s parent company) hadn’t set high expectations. However, hunger led us to Big Bird’s Burgers and Bites, a recently re-themed eatery. The menu, while not extensive, offered several enticing options. We sampled a few main dishes and were pleasantly surprised by the quality. The highlight was the burger toppings bar, featuring fresh shredded lettuce, crisp onion slices, tangy pickles, and ripe red tomato slices – all impressively fresh! The chicken fingers were standard frozen fare but still quite enjoyable, earning an 8 out of 10 from us. The cheeseburgers, fries, and the adorable Big Bird cupcake were all excellent, scoring a 9 out of 10. Later, we indulged in funnel cake and hot chocolate from Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck. While the hot chocolate was delicious, the funnel cake lacked flavor and felt like a splurge gone wrong. Overall, Big Bird’s Burgers and Bites redeemed the dining experience, suggesting a positive shift in Sesame Place’s food offerings.
Big Bird's Burgers and Bites at Sesame Street Place
Sesame Street Place Food – Burgers and Cupcake
For returning visitors to Sesame Street Place, the renovated Sesame Street Neighborhood, unveiled in 2019, is a must-experience update. This area was meticulously redesigned to mirror the newer set featured on the Sesame Street series since 2016, offering an even more authentic immersion into the iconic TV show.
Sesame Street Neighborhood at Sesame Street Place
123 Sesame Street Building Facade
The design and theming are exceptionally well-executed. Take time to appreciate the familiar details, such as Big Bird’s nest, subtle tributes to the late Mr. Hooper, and the famous stoop of the apartment building at 123 Sesame Street. These elements create a nostalgic and heartwarming atmosphere for fans of all ages.
Big Bird's Nest Detail at Sesame Street Place
Sesame Street Place Neighborhood Details
While the rides at Sesame Place remain largely unchanged, they still offer plenty of fun. Seasonal events like A Very Furry Christmas tend to draw larger crowds, especially on pleasant weather days like our visit. Although the park didn’t feel overly crowded, ride lines were noticeably longer. The extensive queue for Santa’s Workshop unfortunately led us to skip that attraction. Despite being open for most of the day, Santa’s Furry Workshop maintained a consistent wait time of one to one and a half hours. Sesame Place offers a fast-pass option for this event, but at $75, it’s prohibitively expensive for many families. Implementing a virtual queue system or improving the current process would significantly enhance the Santa’s Workshop experience during peak Christmas events.
A delightful perk of visiting Sesame Street Place during Christmastime is the opportunity to meet beloved characters in their festive holiday attire. We encountered several Sesame Street icons, including Big Bird in his nest, Elmo, Bert, and Ernie, all dressed in their holiday best.
Big Bird Christmas Meet and Greet at Sesame Street Place
Elmo Christmas Meet and Greet at Sesame Street Place
A Very Furry Christmas also extends its festive character offerings to include meet-and-greets with Rudolph, Clarice, and Bumble from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! This adds another layer of Christmas magic for fans of these classic holiday characters.
Rudolph and Clarice Meet and Greet at Sesame Street Place
Bumble Christmas Character at Sesame Street Place
As evening approached, all the iconic characters came together for a joyous parade down Sesame Street. Featuring illuminated floats, energetic dancers, and heartwarming songs sung by furry friends, the parade delivered beautiful messages of love, hope, and peace. While the parade was thoroughly enjoyable, the true highlight of the Christmas celebrations at Sesame Street Place was witnessing the park bathed in the warm glow of holiday lights. Once the sun dipped below the horizon, the twinkling lights adorning the buildings and strung across the street became truly magical.
Sesame Street Place Christmas Parade
Sesame Street Place Holiday Lights
Sesame Street Place Nighttime Ambiance
Even the iconic apartment building at 123 Sesame Street was illuminated with festive brilliance, creating a picture-perfect holiday scene.
123 Sesame Street Building Lit Up for Christmas
Sesame Street Place Christmas Lights at Night
Sesame Street’s enduring legacy has made it a show that resonates across generations. Sesame Street Place provides a unique opportunity to step into this iconic street, a treat for both children and adults. A Very Furry Christmas was a truly delightful experience for our family, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Wishing you all a very furry — and Merry — Christmas and a Happy New Year!
