The Transport Center Expansion: Part 2

This is the second part of the Transport Center Expansion at Expo 3000.

The Transport Center Expansion: Part 1

The final expansion for Expo 3000 was the Transport Center which featured the Monorail station, Wonder World Emporium, Sunrise Cafe, and more.

Expo 3000 Space Port Refurbishment: Part 2

This is the second part of the Expo 3000 Space Port Refurbishment. In the first part we traveled through the extensive queue and began our trip through the Space Port. Now it's time to blast off into space.

Expo 3000 Space Port Refurbishment: Part 1

If there was one ride at Wonder World that begged for refurbishement, it would be the Space Port attraction. To be honest, the original version was pretty horrible. So it was time to bring the ride inside this iconic building up to the standards of the rest of the park.

The Plunge

Circus Center's largest attraction, the Plunge, opened as part of the land's big expansion. Although not exactly a perfect fit in the circus-themed land, the attraction was still a big hit with the public.

Circus Center Expansion

The Circus Center expansion doubled the size of the existing land. The centerpiece of the expansion was the Showcase Pavilion, a huge, outdoor amphitheater featuring live entertainment and circus acts. Also included were new games, vendors, and one of the park's biggest thrill rides.

The Muskrat Marsh Expedition

One of the most beloved attractions at Wonder World is the Muskrat Marsh Expedition in Catfish Cove. It originally opened as a canoe ride. Then later, launch boats replaced the canoes, taking guests deep into the bayou. The last update to the attraction added several animatronic animals.

Crawfish Island

Catfish Cove is also the home to Crawfish Island, which takes you even deeper into the bayous and into the spookier areas of the land. The island is home to two of Catfish Cove's most popular attractions...the Muskrat Marsh Expedition and the Haunted Shack.

Crawfish Island

The Southern Plantation Restaurant

Situated at the main entrance to Catfish Cove is the Southern Plantation Restaurant. If you crave the charm and atmosphere of the deep South, not to mention the taste of delicious home-cooked meals, than this is the dining spot for you.

The Southern Plantation Restaurant captures of charm of a grand, plantation manor.

Catfish Cove: Welcome to the Bayou

Catfish Cove was probably the most atmospheric and picturesque land in Wonder World. Built along the banks of a slow-moving river, this rustic, waterfront town featured all the sights and sounds of a bygone era. Situated in a remote spot, somewhere in the deep South, this land offered a touch of Southern hospitality, mixed with mystery and adventure.

There are two entrances to Catfish Cove. 

This one is is located off the south side of Expo 3000.  

The Seven Seas Boat Cruise

When Alpine Village was rebuilt using custom scenery, the Seven Seas Boat Cruise received a beautiful refurbished exterior. In addition, it was the only attraction in that land to get major enhancements to the ride itself. In the original version, guests were taken on a cruise through five major scenes, each depicting a unique time period or location from around the world. In the new version, there were major changes to the ride layout. The final scene, depicting a castle in Transylvania, was completely removed, and two brand new scenes were added. Also, three small drops were added to the ride to increase its excitement.

Panoramic view of the Seven Seas Boat Cruise exterior.

Alpine Village - Mountains & Castles

One of the most popular lands at Wonder World was Alpine Village. This colorful land featured quaint shops and eateries, and was the home to three major attractions...The Rumbling Ridge Bobsleds, The Wizard's Castle, and the Seven Seas Boat Cruise. Whereas I has created one custom scenery set each for Circus Center and Expo 3000, it took three large scenery sets to re-create Alpine Village to be as true to the model as possible.

The Park Inspector welcomes guests to the newly refurbished Alpine Village.

Professor Fate's House of Fun

What is the "history" of Circus Center, you might ask? Well, it's only rumor, but from what I've heard, it all goes back to a strange and mysterious character named Professor Fate. Who was Prof. Fate? Well, supposedly, he was a showman, a world traveler, and most notoriously, a compulsive gambler. And as luck would have it, a very good gambler, who won a fortune over his lifetime. With his winnings, he built Circus Center, and also, a large manor in which to live. He flippantly called it his House of Fun. But it soon would become anything but "fun".

Well, as the story goes, shortly after returning from a trip to Egypt to visit the pyramids and the tombs of the pharoahs, he was found dead. Whether by natural causes or foul play, no one ever knew. Soon, more rumors spread about a fortune in treasure, hidden deep within the walls of his manor. Other, more sinister rumors spread about secret dungeons and strange noises coming from within Fate's "House of Fun". And so, the residents of Circus Center decided what better than to open up Fate's manor to the public, as another attraction for guests to explore...and hopefully, survive.

A view of Circus Center, with Fate's House of Fun looming in the background.

Circus Center at Wonder World

The original Circus Center suffered greatly from the lack of custom scenery. There was no way to create circus tents with the scenery that came with the game. So once I learned how to create and import my own custom scenery, it became quite clear that I would have to re-build the land from the ground up, unlike Expo 3000, which was only augmented with custom scenery. You can see the huge improvements made by checking out how Circus Center originally looked in the article, "Wonder World...The Story Begins." Circus Center would eventually double in size, but in this article, we'll take a tour of the Circus Center before the expansion.

The Circus Center entrance. To the left is a small snack stand.