Sesame Place San Diego
A Sesame Street-themed children's theme park and water park in Chula Vista, California.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Sesame Place San Diego is a children's theme park and water park in Chula Vista, California. The destination combines family rides, water attractions, live entertainment, character appearances, and a themed recreation of the Sesame Street neighborhood. It operates under an exclusive license from Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization associated with Sesame Street, and is owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts, formerly known as SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The park occupies a site with a long history as a water-park property. It first opened on May 31, 1997, as White Water Canyon, an independently operated western-themed water park with 16 water slides and a wave pool. Problems involving management and construction, together with weak attendance, contributed to the property entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 1998. Cedar Fair acquired the park from its original owners in December 1999 for $11.5 million and reopened it on May 27, 2000, as Knott's Soak City U.S.A. with a beach-oriented identity. Cedar Fair announced the sale of the property to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment in November 2012. SeaWorld refurbished the 32-acre site and reopened it on June 1, 2013, as Aquatica San Diego. Under the Aquatica identity, the property emphasized water slides, pools, family aquatic areas, and attractions designed for visitors with different swimming abilities. It also included an attraction passing by a flamingo habitat and was featured in an episode of the television series Xtreme Waterparks. The current Sesame Place concept emerged from a broader partnership between Sesame Workshop and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Sesame Workshop announced in 2017 that another Sesame Place location would open by the middle of 2021. In 2019, SeaWorld disclosed that Aquatica San Diego would be converted into a Sesame Street-themed park. The planned experience included gentle roller coasters and other family rides, a carousel, the Sesame Street Neighborhood, parades, live shows, character interactions, and continued use of many existing water attractions. The conversion was carried out in phases so that Aquatica could continue operating during part of the redevelopment. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted construction and pushed the opening into 2022. Aquatica closed for its final season on September 12, 2021, after which the site was completed as Sesame Place San Diego. The new park opened on March 26, 2022. One former water attraction, HooRoo Run, was removed because its intensity was considered inconsistent with the family-oriented Sesame Place concept, while much of the water-park infrastructure was retained. The park's positioning centers on preschool and family entertainment rather than high-intensity thrill rides. Its programming uses Sesame Street characters and settings to create an environment intended for young children, parents, and multigenerational visitors. The attraction mix remains unusual within the Sesame Place portfolio because the San Diego property originated as a large water park and continues to contain substantial aquatic facilities. Sesame Place San Diego is also a certified autism center under standards administered by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, reflecting an accessibility-oriented approach to visitor services.
History
The site now known as Sesame Place San Diego began operating as White Water Canyon on May 31, 1997. The original park was an independently run western-themed water park with 16 water slides and a wave pool. Its early operation was troubled by management and construction difficulties, and attendance was insufficient to support the business. The park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 1998. In December 1999, Cedar Fair purchased the property from its original owners for $11.5 million. Cedar Fair changed the park's identity to a beach theme and reopened it on May 27, 2000, as Knott's Soak City U.S.A. The site continued to operate primarily as a water park under that name. Cedar Fair announced on November 20, 2012, that it had sold the property to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The new operator redeveloped the 32-acre park and reopened it on June 1, 2013, as Aquatica San Diego. The Aquatica version offered water slides, pools, and attractions aimed at a range of ages and swimming abilities. One attraction passed visitors by a flamingo habitat, and the park later appeared in the television program Xtreme Waterparks. Sesame Workshop announced in 2017 that another Sesame Place location was planned for opening no later than mid-2021. SeaWorld identified the San Diego property as the intended location in 2019, announcing plans to convert Aquatica San Diego into a Sesame Street-themed park. The redevelopment was designed to add family rides, gentle coasters, a carousel, live shows, parades, character interactions, and a recreation of the Sesame Street setting, while preserving much of the existing aquatic infrastructure. The work was conducted in phases, allowing Aquatica to remain open during part of the transition. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted construction and delayed the opening. Aquatica closed after its final season on September 12, 2021, and the property was then completed under the Sesame Place identity. Sesame Place San Diego opened on March 26, 2022. HooRoo Run, a water attraction regarded as too extreme for the intended retheming, was removed during the conversion. Today, Sesame Place San Diego operates as a family-oriented theme and water park under the United Parks & Resorts portfolio and an exclusive license from Sesame Workshop. Its attractions include water slides and aquatic play areas inherited from the site's earlier identities, as well as dry rides, Sesame Street-themed environments, live entertainment, parades, and character experiences. The park is a certified autism center under IBCCES standards, part of its effort to provide structured accessibility and inclusion services for visitors with autism and their families.
- 2022
Sesame Place San Diego opens
[1]The redesigned park opens on March 26 with Sesame Street-themed rides, entertainment, character experiences, and water attractions.
- 2021
Aquatica closes for final season
[1]Aquatica San Diego closes on September 12 after its final season, allowing the remaining conversion work to proceed.
- 2019
San Diego conversion is disclosed
[1]SeaWorld identifies Aquatica San Diego as the site that will become Sesame Place San Diego.
- 2017
Sesame Workshop announces another Sesame Place location
[1]Sesame Workshop announces plans for a new Sesame Place park to open by the middle of 2021.
- 2013
Aquatica San Diego opens
[1]The refurbished water park reopens on June 1 under the Aquatica San Diego name.
- 2012
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announces acquisition
[1]SeaWorld announces on November 20 that it has purchased the property from Cedar Fair.
- 2000
Reopens as Knott's Soak City U.S.A.
[1]Cedar Fair reopens the redesigned water park on May 27 under a beach-themed Knott's Soak City identity.
- 1999
Cedar Fair acquires the property
[1]Cedar Fair purchases the park from its original owners for $11.5 million.
- 1998
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing
[1]The original operator files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after management and construction problems and weak attendance.
- 1997
White Water Canyon opens
[1]The property opens on May 31 as White Water Canyon, an independently operated western-themed water park.
Products and positioning
A family and preschool entertainment destination combining Sesame Street storytelling, gentle rides, live character programming, and a substantial water-park offering.
Themed environment · 2022
Sesame Street Neighborhood
A recreation of the Sesame Street setting that serves as a central immersive area for photographs, character encounters, and family activities. It translates the television brand's familiar urban neighborhood into a physical park environment and supports the park's preschool-oriented storytelling.
Theme park rides · 2022
Sesame Street family rides
The dry-ride offering added during the Sesame Place conversion includes gentle, family-oriented attractions designed for young children and accompanying adults. The range includes themed rides and carousel-style experiences rather than a focus on high-intensity thrill attractions.
Water park attractions · 1997
Water attractions
A substantial portion of the site's earlier water-park infrastructure was retained after the conversion from Aquatica San Diego. The offering includes water slides, pools, and aquatic activities intended for different ages and swimming abilities, although HooRoo Run was removed as part of the retheming.
Entertainment · 2022
Live entertainment and character experiences
The park presents Sesame Street character interactions, live shows, and parade-style entertainment. These experiences extend the brand beyond rides and water facilities and provide scheduled opportunities for families to interact with recognizable Sesame Street characters.
Brand decisions
2022
Launch of the Sesame Place San Diego park formatProduct launchBackground
The former Aquatica property needed a new identity that connected its water-park assets with the Sesame Street family-entertainment franchise.
Action taken
The redesigned park opened on March 26, combining Sesame Street-themed dry attractions, entertainment, character experiences, and retained aquatic facilities.
Aftermath
The site became the San Diego Sesame Place location and continued operating as a combined children's theme park and water park.
2019
Convert Aquatica San Diego into Sesame Place San DiegoStrategyBackground
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Sesame Workshop pursued a new Sesame Street-themed park at the existing San Diego water-park site.
Action taken
The operator planned a phased redevelopment adding family rides, a Sesame Street neighborhood, live shows, parades, and character experiences while retaining many water attractions.
Aftermath
The conversion was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Aquatica closed in September 2021, and Sesame Place San Diego opened in March 2022.
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