This Beloved California Theme Park Just Pulled The Plug On The Rest Of Its 2025 Season
As of September 21, 2025, Sesame Place San Diego has officially closed its gates for the rest of the year. The family-friendly theme park in Chula Vista, California, announced the move suddenly on social media just days earlier, confirming it would "transition to a seasonal schedule" and reopen in Spring 2026. The statement read: "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." For visitors, this means all fall and winter programming — including Halloween and Christmas events — is canceled.
The decision caught many off guard, especially annual pass holders who had been expecting to be able to go to the park throughout the year. To soften the blow, Sesame Place is offering 2025 passholders free SeaWorld Fun Cards good through the end of this year (both parks are owned by United Parks & Resorts). That includes access to SeaWorld's seasonal attractions like the Halloween Spooktacular and Christmas Celebration.
Even so, many people weren't exactly thrilled with that trade-off. One thing that makes Sesame Place one of the happiest places on Earth that aren't Disney is its "Sesame Street" theme, including beloved characters like Elmo and Big Bird. While SeaWorld might be one of the more unique theme parks in the U.S., it's not exactly a like-for-like swap for many parents who had plans to bring their kids to Sesame Street.
What people had to say about Sesame Place's closure
The sudden announcement of the unexpected closure sparked strong reactions online. Facebook user Sel Ruiz vented: "My family planned to travel from out of state to attend the Halloween Spooktacular. How do you expect people to plan entire vacations around your posted operating schedule and [then] pull the plug with less than two weeks notice?" Another passholder, Nikki Lincoln Williams, noted she bought 2026 passes under a promotion that included free access for the rest of 2025, adding "I am not getting what was advertised when I purchased." Other users mentioned they had purchased a platinum pass for access to all United parks, so there wasn't really anything Sesame Place could do to make up for it.
While it's short notice for passholders, it appears to have been equally short notice for employees. On Instagram, @ihy.daniella said, "bruh a week notice for us employees," to which @kingfred100 replied, "instagram is how I find out I have a week damn." On the other hand, not all Sesame Place fans thought it was a bad decision. Facebook user Sal Jimenez said: "Excellent decision, my family visited in the winter and not having the water park open makes Sesame Place feels abandoned. Now add more attractions."
From California's iconic Great America amusement park potentially closing for good to Disney closing beloved rides, this is just one more change to add to the list of amusement park revamps in recent years. The original Sesame Place in Philadelphia doesn't seem to have changed its schedule, so that could be an alternative option for families who had their hearts set on a Sesame Street experience — although that doesn't really help anyone who already booked travel to California.