Sesame Workshop sues United Parks over royalties and use of IP

Posted | Contributed by Sharpel007

Sesame Workshop says United Parks has for a few years ignored ​the most recent licensing agreement, which dates from 2017, including by withholding royalties ​and closing sites, including the temporary closure of Sesame Place San Diego.

Read more from Reuters.

WTH is going on with this chain, how in the world do you screw this up? I just don’t understand.


2026 Trips: Universal Orlando, Dollywood, Cedar Point, Kings Island, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Sea World San Antonio, Sea World Orlando, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Walt Disney World, Silver Dollar City

Fun's avatar

Tensions have been high for quite some time between these two. Sesame Place park is in mortal danger as a viable attraction if they don't resolve this.

Without the Sesame Street license, Sesame Place is just a small water park and small amusement park that is more expensive than nearby parks with no room for expansion. Dorney has more kids rides in Planet Snoopy and more water slides in WWK than Sesame Place has.

The Sesame Street area at BGT is in rough shape too. The nets play area has been closed for months. For a while and maybe even now, on weekdays there is no stage show and the stage is used for meet and greets. The other meet and greet area in the gazebo near the flamingos is never in use either.

Welcome to majority ownership by institutional investors, where you mess around with your 45+ year kids license, and basis for two entire parks!

As if we needed another sign that United is in far worse shape then Cedar Flags. I do wonder what the Busch family thinks, as the parks really where a passion project for 3 generations of the family.

Wondering out loud who would be a more credible business organization to gain the licensing rights for Sesame Street and develop parks/attractions/experiences? Herschend for sure. Comcast possibly?

Comcast is too busy promoting its own IP. I’m not exactly sure how SDC or Dollywood would incorporate Sesame Street either given the chronological anachronism. Maybe that’s United’s play, there is no one else.


2026 Trips: Universal Orlando, Dollywood, Cedar Point, Kings Island, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Sea World San Antonio, Sea World Orlando, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Walt Disney World, Silver Dollar City

Universal already has so many kids brands, and for some reason still sleeps on most Dreamworks IP, except at Shanghai. Id want Hereschend to take over the whole of United not just Sesame Street.

You must be logged in to post

POP Forums - ©2026, POP World Media, LLC
Loading...