Which theme parks could get the U.S. license for Sesame Street?
With Sesame Workshop now filing a federal lawsuit to get out of its licensing deal with United Parks & Resorts, let's consider the question of where the Sesame Street characters could land next.
Assuming the deal terminates, Sesame Workshop could then sign a new license deal with another theme park operator in the United States. So what are the possibilities? Let's start with the biggest.
Disney is not a likely landing place for Sesame Street, unless Sesame Workshop also packaged the theme park rights with a streaming deal on Disney Plus. But Sesame Workshop just signed those rights to Netflix. Disney has plenty of its own IP and just signed up with Bluey to go after the toddler crowd, so this is not a likely deal.
Universal owns the Sesame Workshop license in Asia, with a dark ride in Singapore and multiple kiddie attractions in Japan. Universal Studios Japan recently announced that it would close its Sesame Street Fan World in Universal Wonderland on May 10 to redevelop the area, much as it recently did for the Peanuts section of the land. But, as with Disney, I can't see Universal wanting to bid for the U.S. rights unless they also came with the ability to put Sesame Street on Peacock. So look for Universal to stick with its own IP in the U.S.
Six Flags is not exactly in financial position to make a bid for new IP, especially when you factor the cost of activating it in its parks. Six Flags also just reupped with Peanuts and holds the Looney Tunes rights for more the next couple decades, so I can't see this as an option.
Herschend has been buying assets recently, with the acquistion of the former Palace Entertainment parks. But the company does not license IP, and can't feature a modern franchise within Silver Dollar City's time theme. So that's another pass.
Which brings us to what I think is likely Sesame Workshop's target - Merlin. The Legoland owner would provide an ideal demographic fit with Sesame Street. Merlin has been licensing Peppa Pig for the preschool set, but I think that Sesame Street would provide a much broader appeal for potential expansion of attractions across its properties.
That said, do not count out Netflix, which is beginning to get into themed entertainment with its Netflix House developments. Sesame Street characters could help kick-start Netflix's plans for family entertainment centers in the U.S.
And, of course, if United Parks came up with a pile of cash to satisfy Sesame Workshop, perhaps that 45-year-plus relationship could be saved. (Pause for me to LOL here.)
Where would you like to see Sesame Street in the U.S.?
Replies (5)
Strong point on Enchanted Parks. Let's add them to the mix.
Great reasoning Robert and Russell. Both very plausible. How popular is the Sesame brand in America in 2026? It has little/no profile in the UK and Europe these days although I still love Bert & Ernie and would gladly queue up with my autograph book to meet them and to discuss red juice and pizza slices.
I wonder if Netflix would consider taking the Ellison payout and putting United Parks and Resorts out of its misery. Netflix could patch up the relationship with Sesame, use Busch Gardens and Sea World as a showcase for company IP, and create a new revenue stream outside of streaming.
If I'm Sesame Workshop I would give consideration to the Netflix House model.
The one chain you've forgotten is Enchanted Parks, which could probably use some cost-effective IP to replace the Looney Tunes and Peanuts IP lands they'll need to retheme at the end of 2026. Given that most of their properties are smaller parks in the Midwest and other rural areas that tend to draw family-oriented crowds, Sesame Street would be an excellent replacement with wide-reaching appeal.
However, given the frustration that Sesame Workshop appears to have with United Parks, I wouldn't be surprised to see the company being extremely careful about who they sign a deal with if they even want to do this again. I'm not sure how the company feels about its current deal with Netflix, but the previous deal with HBO was categorized as a disaster both financially and creatively, so who knows how they would feel about entering into another theme park licensing agreement after what has happened with United.
On that subject, what in the world is United thinking? How do they get off not paying prescribed payments and ignore obligations to the point where the rights holder has to file a civil lawsuit, making such a disagreement public? Did they not learn from Blackfish or from their constant public spats with San Diego? Do they not realize they have 2 ENTIRE parks in the chain exclusively reliant on this IP and critical sections of all their other theme parks featuring aspects of this IP including food, entertainment, and merchandise? United Parks is as reliant on Sesame Street as SF is reliant on DC or Universal is on Harry Potter, yet they treat this licensing agreement as if it was written on a piece of toilet paper? Even if the company can in some way salvage this relationship, the cost to their public perception is devastating. If they can't get back in Sesame Workshop's good graces, it's liable to cost them tens of millions of dollars straight off the bottom line not only in costs to retheme attractions, lands, and entire parks, but will significantly impact guest spending and attendance.