Sesame Place passholders and ticketholders called the Chula Vista water park’s sudden decision to close for the rest of the season with only a week’s notice “sad,” “unfortunate,” “disappointing,” “despicable” and “deplorable.”
Sesame Place San Diego announced plans to shift from a year-round to a seasonal schedule and end the 2025 season on Sunday, Sept. 21 in a post on the park’s official Instagram page.
“Sesame Place will transition to a seasonal schedule, making every visit filled with more excitement, attractions and activities to enjoy,” according to the statement released by Sesame Place. “By focusing on our most popular times of year, we can deliver the best possible experience from the moment guests arrive until the moment they leave.”
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Sesame Place San Diego will reopen in spring 2026 — at least six months from now.
Sesame Place San Diego opened in 2022 after transforming the former Aquatica water park into a theme park/water park hybrid with about 20 Sesame Street-themed rides, slides, shows and parades.
Sesame Place season passholders will receive a SeaWorld San Diego Fun Card season pass good for unlimited admission through the rest of 2025 as compensation.
Parent company United Parks owns both Sesame Place San Diego and SeaWorld San Diego.
The sudden closure of Sesame Place for the rest of 2025 season means the Count’s Halloween Spooktacular and A Very Furry Christmas seasonal events will be canceled.
SeaWorld San Diego offers a pair of similarly themed seasonal events: Halloween Spooktacular and Christmas Celebration.
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The abrupt closure for the season with less than a week’s notice left Sesame Place passholders and ticketholders fuming.
“This is despicable,” Donna Delia wrote on Instagram. “Some of us bought season passes for Halloween and Christmas. So disappointing.”
Super Grover’s Box Car Derby roller coaster at SeaWorld’s Sesame Place. (SeaWorld)
“You guys literally just talked me into the season pass last week by telling me about the Halloween and Christmas events,” Adrienne Danette wrote on Instagram. “I’d like a refund.”
“This is theft,” Sakura wrote on Instagram. “Will you stop charging us for the remaining months since you are not delivering what we purchased?”
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The sudden closure for the season upended travel plans for Sesame Place visitors who had already purchased advance tickets and meal plans and booked flights and hotel rooms.
“Our family specifically booked a trip to San Diego to take my son here for his second birthday next month,” Lindsey Mondine wrote on Instagram.
Sesame Place employees will be out of work for the next six months — if they choose to return in the spring.
“I work for Sesame Place,” Medusa LaRouge wrote on Instagram. “This is really heartbreaking news.”
The Chula Vista water park has a long history stretching back nearly three decades. The park opened in 1997 as White Water Canyon, became Knott’s Soak City in 2000 and then SeaWorld’s Aquatica in 2013 before transforming into Sesame Place in 2022.