Pedal Power

Images from YouTube

Pedal Power was a science element at Sesame Studio that demonstrated how electricity could be generated by pedaling a stationary bicycle. As the kids pedaled, a neon board would light up. The faster they pedaled the brighter the light became.

Pedal Power opened with the park in 1980 and lasted at least until the late 1990s.

The Shadow Room

I got an email yesterday from a reader named Jeff. It read "The was a cool room at SP when I was a kid, but I barely remember it. It was called the shadow room or something. You would stand up against a wall casting a shadow. A camera would flash and when you walked away the shadow stayed on the wall. Does that ring a bell?"


The Shadow Room was one of the science elements at Sesame Place from 1980 until (at least) 1999.

Shadow Wall image from The Herald News

A 1980 Christian Science Monitor article detailed the author's trip to Sesame Place. The Shadow Room was described as such:

We entered a chamber called the Shadow Room. Of all the playthings I sampled and saw, electronic and otherwise, this one most took my fancy. You stand against a blank wall in the semidarkness and an overhead strobe erupts with a sudden flash. You step away and your shadow is still there, temporarily and vividly pasted to the wall.

 The Reading Eagle also described the attraction:

An article about the Texas Sesame Place said there was a two way mirror outside the Shadow Room so visitors (presumably parents of the kids in the room) could look inside the room.

The trick to The Shadow Room was a phosphorescent wall. Think of it as your standard glow in the dark material.

Kids lined up in front of the phosphorescent wall:

Image from Blogger

A bright flash of light shines at the wall. The areas of the phosphorescent wall, that received the light, glow. The areas blocked by the kids create the shadow.

Image from Blogger

The Shadow Room was in Sesame Studio and was one of the last of the science elements to leave the Studio. It still remained until 1999 (along with Teleidoscope Temple and the food puppets) in the area that is behind the audience at Elmo's World. The area is now closed to the public.
I believe it's used as a character changing area (since I have often seen Count and Zoe walk behind me as I sat with my son watching the show.)

Thanks to Jeff for the email. PLEASE email me if you have any memories of this or anything else at Sesame Place! You can find an email link in the sidebar on the left.

Cookie Mountain

Cookie Mountain is an attraction that has been at Sesame Place since opening day in 1980.

 Image from YouTube

Sesame Place describes it as:

Why settle for “King of the Mountain” when you can be the “King of Cookie Mountain?” Cheer along your kids as they try to scale this impressive, bright-blue vinyl cone that seems to reach the sky. Watch the all-out effort as they climb, slip and slide their way to the top. And, back down again. (All participants must be 44 inches and under.)


In the early days the vinyl material was a reddish orange color. Today it is in Cookie Monster's more traditional blue color.

Image from Google Street Views

Harmonograph

1980 Image from YouTube

The Harmonograph was a science exhibit at Sesame Place that opened with the park in 1980. A large sheet of paper was attached to the top of a pendulum and children would "draw" a picture by swinging the Harmonograph. Children got to keep the drawing when they were finished. 

Image from Mid Cities Daily News

Big Bird's Nest (Play Area)

1980 Image from YouTube

Big Bird's Nest is a play area that has been at Sesame Place since opening day. It is recessed and circluar with steps that surround it (they double as seats for parents.)

 Image from Google Street Views

Children can romp around on the padded ground and play with large padded objects. The type of objects have changed over the years.

1985 Image from YouTube

The area is considered part of Big Bird Court.

Teleidoscope Temple

 Images from eBay

The "Teleidoscope Temple" was one of the science exhibits at Sesame Place that opened with the park in 1980. You would enter a small room of mirrors and your image would be repeated to infinity. This was located in Sesame Studio and existed (at least) until the late 1990s.

Monster Maze

Monster Maze is an attraction at Sesame Place that has been there since opening day in 1980.

1985 Image from YouTube

Kids run through a maze of 40 lightweight punching bags.
Faces and monster horns have been added to the bags since opening day. 

 2012 Image

In the 1980s the signage featured Sesame Street character Frazzle:

1986 Image from YouTube

The current sign emphasizes safety and declares "no punching bags".

2012 Image

However in 1980 punching was allowed. 

The opening day brochure said "Youngsters can punch, push, shoulder and dodge their way through a forest of 40 six-foot-high lightweight punching bags to get to the other side."

Image from Henson

The attraction is located right in front of Ernie's Bed Bounce.

Posted by Guy Hutchinson

The grand opening of Big Bird Bridge

Here are a series of images that show Big Bird (decked out in a bow tie and cuff links) helping some kids pull a rope to unveil Big Bird Bridge.

The giant Big Bird head is revealed as employees pull off the covering and balloons float up to the sky.

 Images from YouTube

Sesame Place Water Tower

When I hear the name Sesame Place Water Tower, I always think of the large water tower off route 95 with the Sesame Street characters on it:

Image from Signs and Graphics

However, long before the water tower first got a Sesame Place face lift in 1993 there was a attraction called Sesame Place Water Tower.

The Sesame Place Water Tower was described in the opening day brochure as:

SESAME PLACE WATER TOWER:

Youngsters pump water to the top of a 20-foot tower 

and then let it tumble down to turn a wheel; 

children also can direct streams of water at targets.

1980 Image from YouTube

At 20 feet tall, the Water Tower was a wonderful place to over see the park.

Image from Facebook

The very top of the tower featured a bunch of colorful orbs. The top one featured Big Bird's picture.

Image from YouTube

Big Bird Bridge passed through the Water Tower, so it's likely that the tower actually was necessary to stabilize Big Bird Bridge.

Image from Henson

The Sesame Place Water Tower likely was removed Flying Fish was built in 2006..

Image from Cardcow

Today the area houses the Flyin' Fish attraction.

The Toy Carousel at Mr. Hooper's Emporium

Mr. Hooper's Emporium is the name of a very large gift shop in Sesame Place. It's been in operation since the park opened in 1980.

In addition to having the largest selection of Sesame Street merchandise imaginable, the store has a very unique feature. 

A carousel of plush toys that would slowly travel around the store over the heads of children.

1981 Image from YouTube

The technology seems very similar to the rack that a dry cleaners has that brings the clothes from the front of the store to the back with a push of a button.

2012 Image

The characters rotate around the store and head up a tall skylight over the central cash register.

2012 Image

Today the carousel is still in place and is currently working.

2012 Image

2012 Image

It's good to see it's still there, keeping the store vibrant and lively!

The Circle Theater

The Circle Theater was the name of a theater at Sesame Place.

1987 Image from YouTube

The theater opened with the park in 1980 and was located in the back of the park next to Ernie's Bed Bounce.

1980 Image from YouTube

In 1988 the stage area was repainted blue.

1988 Image from YouTube

In 2003 the theater was replaced with the 1-2-3 Smile With Me photo spot. 

Image from Google Street Views

I have read some articles from 1999 that refers to the "all new Circle Theater" and an article from 2003 that also mentions the Circle Theater. It may be that the original Circle Theater closed down before 2003 and the Paradise Theater was called the Circle Theater for a time.

The theater housed many different shows over the years:

Sesame Players: This show consisted of two human performers who used a series of props to entertain children with a show that consisted of lots of problem solving questions that were asked of the audience.

Environmental Tales: On Environmental Awareness Day 1991 the Sesame Players did a special show about the environment.

A bird show featuring a trainer and a talented macaw.

Do you remember this theater or have any more information? Please let me know in the comments.

Sesame Studio

Sesame Studio is the name of an theater that currently houses Elmo's World Live:

 Image from IGOUGO

When the park opened in 1980, Sesame Studio was a very different attraction. One of the popular features was the Ernie's bathtub photo op:

1985 Image from YouTube

Children could step into a bathtub with Ernie and his rubber duckie:

1988 Image from YouTube

The bathtub was located next to a large, indoor, replica of The Sesame Street Set. 

 1988 Image from YouTube

This replica was phased out after the introduction of the larger outdoor neighborhood in 1988:

2012 Image

The Sesame Street Set was located next to a small chroma key theater:

 1985 Image from YouTube

The Sesame Street Set featured Big Bird and Little Bird peeking out of the nest and Prairie Dawn, Grover and Count Von Count looking out the windows.

1985 Images from YouTube

Kids could also pose for pictures inside Oscar's trash can (which was actually a half trash can open in the back.)

 Image from ThirteenLove

There was also a second floor balcony (which included a walkway to the upstairs exit of the studio.)

1985 Images from YouTube 

The chroma key stage would show children how the special effects were done on their favorite TV shows.

1985 Images from YouTube

The studio was transformed in the 1990s to create the larger theater that currently shows Elmo's world. For a time, the larger theater existed alongside exhibits like a room of mirrors (called Teleidoscope Temple) and these play puppets:

1999 Image

I'm not sure what the space is used for today, but it seems like the current theater only occupies two thirds of the building.


2015 UPDATE:
When working on the Sesame Place book I found that some of the science elements were also located on the second floor of the Computer Gallery.

Episode 16 of The Purple Stuff Podcast features a story about Return of the Jedi special effects being shown in the blue screen theater,