Kids' Weekends at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Busch Gardens kicked off their Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends just in time for Spring Break. This program is designed especially for young children, so we had to check it out!

Sesame Street Forest of Fun

Forest of Fun is one of our favorite places at Busch Gardens. It’s tucked around a corner near the main park entrance. When you arrive, the first thing you see is Elmo’s Castle!

sprays of water surround the splash pad at Elmo's Castle

There were things to do EVERYWHERE!

Our 9-year-old made a beeline for Grover’s Alpine Express. Even our 3-year-old was tall enough for this mini coaster. The seating arrangement required us to pair up, but my oldest didn’t mind riding alone. (Rider swap is available, too.)

It was a great family ride and ideal first coaster. The train moved up the lift hill quickly and the ride was over in under 30 seconds.

All of our children loved Oscar’s Yucky Forest, too. This simple play area features tunnels upon tunnels and it is perfect for burning off some extra energy!

Oscar's Yucky Forest, a soft playground comprised of tunnels and turns

Oscar’s Whirly Worms was my favorite attraction. We were all able to sit together, which doesn’t often happen with a family of five. Once the ride really got going, we all threw our hands up together!

We ended up riding it over and over. To really feel the whirl, sit at the far end of the worm.

During Kids’ Weekends, we also had access to a backstage area!

the special event section of Sesame Street Forest of Fun, located behind the colorful fences — the backstage area

This is where the majority of the Kids’ Weekend activities were held.

Children could participate as much or as little as they liked. There were take-home crafts as well as a large mural (pictured on the green wall to the left) that kids could work on together.

a boy poses on the top stoop of a house on Sesame Street

Shows and character meet-and-greet events were still held at Elmo’s Castle, but there were definitely more characters out — and out more often — than on a regular weekend.

The Headliners

Each weekend features activities and events celebrating one particular monster: Rosita, Super Grover, Cookie Monster, or Elmo. The activities seem to vary slightly by weekend and character, but all of them include meet-and-greet experiences, music, and a craft.

a jumbo Cookie Monster cut-out peeks over a colorful fence

Overall Impression

Busch Gardens Williamsburg already does a great job incorporating attractions for young children. Forest of Fun and The Land of Dragons are both designed for youngsters, plus there are several attractions for little ones throughout the park. We have always appreciated that our younger children had something to do while older children were on thrilling rides.

On top of that, Kids’ Weekends truly felt like something special.

The event was well-staffed by employees who seemed to truly enjoy interacting with children.

The hands-on activities really hit the sweet spot; they were complex enough to keep my 9-year-old entertained, but simple enough for my 3-year-old to complete.