How to Buy Discount Sesame Place San Diego Tickets: 3 Cheap Ways

Sunny days promise to keep the clouds away at Sesame Place San Diego. Bringing the best of Sesame Street to the West Coast, this Chula Vista attraction which opened in March 2022, combines the excitement of rides with the refreshment of water slides and, of course, the delight of meeting everyone’s favorite furry friends.

Even the biggest cynic will struggle to stop smiling when strolling through the interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood or splashing down a water slide. You’ll quickly discover that hanging out with Sesame Street friends is way more fun also because you purchased tickets for less than gate prices.

Here you will find several reliable options available for finding Sesame Place San Diego tickets at a discount. And there are incentives directly through the park and through a San Diego-based authorized ticket seller for purchasing now.

Gate Prices for Sesame Place San Diego

Gate prices for Sesame Place San Diego tickets are around $84.99 for ages 2 and up.

Kids ages 0-23 months are free.

Right now, buying tickets in advance is your best bet for making the entrance fee cheaper — you just need to determine where you’ll purchase these tickets. 

Sesame Place San Diego Discount Tickets

A variety of discounts off of gate prices for Sesame Place San Diego make it possible to reduce the cost of admission. I expect more options to become available when the park opens. In the meantime, I’ve highlighted three of the best options below from authorized tickets sellers.

1. Discounted Good Any-Day Sesame Place San Diego Tickets

Discount eligibility need not be a point of concern when you use aRes Travel. This local resource provides access to affordable attractions in San Diego and beyond for anyone who wishes to purchase tickets.

These tickets deliver a wonderfully flexible approach. They can be purchased online and printed at home or pulled up on a mobile device.

From there, tickets are presented at the gate when you’re ready to visit the theme park. A $2 per ticket transaction fee applies but you will still come out ahead. 

In addition to providing major discounts on single-day tickets for Sesame Place San Diego, you can purchase the annual Silver Pass at a reduced price. This is a great option for anyone who wants to spend multiple days at the theme park in a single year.

This approach delivers unlimited visits, free guest tickets, and the other many advantages of the standard Silver Pass provided through the Sesame Place website — but with an additional price break to make visits even more affordable for San Diego pass members. 

2. Online Tickets Direct Through Sesame Place

Even if you choose to purchase directly through Sesame Place online, your daily admission is currently more affordable than it might be day of at the gate.

Currently, on the Sesame Place San Diego website, the Any Day ticket is $64.99 per guest ages two and older before fees. Each transaction is accompanied by a $9.99 service fee. This fee remains the same when purchasing several tickets at once. 

3. Sesame Place San Diego Season Passes

If you plan on hitting up Sesame Place San Diego regularly with your family, a season pass may be a viable option for reducing the per-visit cost of admission.

This approach also produces significant savings in the form of free general parking, plus discounts on in-park merchandise and in-park food. Many Sesame Street enthusiasts also relish the opportunity for exclusive pass member rewards.

Most season passes provide flexible access and unlimited visits, free of blockout dates or other restrictions. These are similar to the any day ticket in that it’s possible to visit the theme park on short notice — and without reserving a spot. Keep in mind, however, that photo enrollment required stipulations exist for passes, which are also non-refundable.

Pass-holders receive emails containing PDFs that can be printed or scanned via smartphone to gain access to the park. From there, pass-holders are recommended to access barcodes from the Season Pass Member website or via Apple Wallet. Guest Relations can also print a wallet-sized version of the pass.

Season passes are available at several different levels, each with varying costs and benefits. These are outlined in detail below: 

2023 Silver Season Pass

Available for a one-time purchase of $141, this 2023 season pass ensures unlimited visits through 1/2/24 — with no need to worry about blockout dates.

Those with season passes can use free guest tickets while saving between 10 and 15 percent on most in-park merchandise, including food, stroller rentals, and printed souvenir pictures.

Season pass holders can also save 20 percent on priority boarding via Magic Queue. Some of the most significant savings are available via free general parking. 

2023 Gold Season Pass

The 2023 Gold Season Pass may cost $180 per year, but it provides numerous benefits above and beyond its Silver counterpart.

Unlimited visits (with no blockout dates) are just the beginning. This pass upgrades the Silver Season’s free parking to an up-close option that is far more convenient than the general parking area. This, combined with affordable stroller rentals, makes it easier to navigate the park with infants and young children.

An annual PhotoKey is also included to provide easy access to professional photos taken all around the park. These images can later be viewed as printed souvenir pictures, which are also available at a reduced price.

Savings on in-park merchandise and in-park food are bumped up to 20 percent and 15 percent, respectively, while 30 percent savings are available for the Magic Queue. As with the silver option, exclusive pin trading events are also offered.

Keep in mind that, as with the Silver program, the Gold Season Pass expires at the beginning of the new year. Be sure to make the most of the program’s four free guest tickets before that time. 

2023 Platinum Season Pass

Why end the fun with Sesame Place or SeaWorld San Diego? The Platinum Season Pass ups the ante by providing unlimited admission to 11 parks, including SeaWorld locations all across the nation. A top perk? Pass-holders receive six free guest tickets.

This upgraded pass also delivers the convenience of reservations for the award-winning daily parade, along with up-close parking. Under this pass, many products can be purchased within the theme park for 25 percent off, while food and beverage savings reach 20 percent. At just half price, the Magic Queue is a steal under the Platinum plan. 

SeaWorld San Diego Add-Ons

Family fun is available beyond Sesame Place. With the right Sesame Place San Diego pass, it’s possible to also enjoy discounted admission to other destinations. For example, those interested in visiting SeaWorld San Diego can obtain admission for a discounted fee while purchasing Sesame Place season passes.

For instance, the SeaWorld Silver add-on Sesame Place option costs an extra $96 per guest (in addition to the Annual Pass purchase), while SeaWorld Gold adds $111 to add visits to Sesame Place. These provide not only access to SeaWorld San Diego, but also, significant discounts on animal encounters, access to exclusive pin trading events, and many other perks. 

What Else to Expect at Sesame Place San Diego

Sesame Place San Diego provides plenty to keep the entire family busy all day long. Both adult and child fans of the show appreciate the interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood, which is home to the show’s iconic 123 stoop. This area will make guests feel as if they’ve actually stepped into their TVs and entered the colorful world of Sesame Street, where everyone’s favorite furry friends wander about.

A variety of family-friendly rides appeal to kids who are typically frightened by theme park attractions. We predict fan favorites will include:

• Sunny Day Carousel
• Super Grover’s Box Car Derby
• Elmo’s Rockin’ Rockets
• Abby’s Fair Flight
• Cookie Climb

An interactive musical play area gives kids the chance to explore as they see fit. Youngsters will also adore the award-winning daily parade. Parents enjoy access to stroller rentals and other amenities designed to make excursions more convenient.

During the summer, guests will want to hit up the waterpark portion of the attraction, where slides, wave pools, and even a water playground beckon guests to splash around to their heart’s delight. While many slides attract older children and adults, options such as Elmo’s Silly Sand Slides accommodate the park’s youngest visitors.

As a Certified Autism Center (CAC), Sesame Place is an ideal destination for children with sensory concerns. The San Diego location’s CAC status mirrors that of its Philadelphia counterpart.

In both parks, designated quiet spaces allow guests to take a break from the hustle and bustle. Additionally, targeted guides provided by the park help parents plan their visits in a way that will accommodate their children’s unique sensory needs. 

Sesame Place San Diego Tickets & More FAQ

Address: 2052 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista, CA 91911

Does Sesame Place San Diego currently offer a student discount?

Unfortunately, Sesame Place San Diego does not currently offer any discounts specifically targeted at students. As such, students who wish to visit the park may benefit from purchasing discount tickets. 

Do you have to make reservations to visit Sesame Place San Diego, or can you buy tickets at the gate?

Yes, guests can purchase Sesame Place tickets same-day at the gate. This isn’t the most cost-effective strategy, especially when admitting an entire family.

Even at sister park SeaWorld San Diego, it’s currently less expensive to buy tickets online directly through the park or through an authorized ticket seller before you go.

Does Sesame Place San Diego offer a teacher discount?

Teachers enjoy exclusive offers for a variety of San Diego attractions. Currently, these are not available at Sesame Place San Diego. Based on the Philadelphia location, however, the future is promising for teachers who want to hang out with Sesame Street friends.

Currently, Philadelphia’s Sesame Place offers a dedicated teacher’s pass, which grants K-12 teachers from several states unlimited admission for an entire year. To qualify, teachers near Philadelphia must complete an online registration process before showing valid teaching certificates for each person listed — plus photo IDs — to guest relations staff.

Is there a Military Discount?

Active duty military members and veterans receive special Sesame Place theme park discounts through the Military and Veteran Offers.

Currently, active military personnel and their families can purchase season passes for a discounted rate of $84.99. The offer is valid for up to 6 people per service member. Valid military ID may be required.

Sesame place also offers various discounts to Veterans and their families. At the time of this writing, the park offers 50% off tickets for Veterans and their families. The offer is valid for up to 6 people per service member. Valid military ID may be required.

You can also visit your ITT office on base for information on discounted tickets.

Are there any Kids Free Offers?

While Sesame Place San Diego can be entertaining for guests of all ages, its rides, and interactive musical play area have been designed for the obvious target audience: young children.

As such, if you’re like many adult guests, you’ll be accompanied by at least one toddler when you visit. Thankfully, guests under the age of 2 are always free of charge.

I strongly suspect that this park will also offer a Kids Free San Diego promotion that allows kids of a certain age, usually 12 and under, to enter for free with a paid adult throughout the entire month. Since it’s a new park, they haven’t yet participated. All of our theme parks do, however.

Learn also how to buy discount tickets for Southern California and other United States theme parks including:

• San Diego Zoo
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• SeaWorld San Diego
• LEGOLAND California
• Disneyland
• Universal Studios Hollywood
• Six Flags Magic Mountain
• Knotts Berry Farm
• LEGOLAND Florida
• Universal Orlando
• San Francisco Zoo

Featured photo is courtesy of Sesame Place San Diego