Grande World Expo at Canada's Wonderland took guests for a journey around the world
Tyler Knapp
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In a previous blog post, I talked about world expos in general, but I was curious why Canada’s Wonderland displays certain flags at the entrance to The Grande World Exposition of 1890 and not others.
Each flag at the entrance to World Expo represents a country which had a “pavilion” in the themed area when the park opened in 1981. Much like how world expos featured international pavilions and buildings with architecture representative of different countries, so too did Grande World Expo at Canada’s Wonderland. According to park officials, the flags and associated pavilions were inspired by some of the countries, regions and exhibits represented at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. They included Mexico, Manchuria, Morocco, Africa, India, Persia, Egypt, Siam, Holland and Japan. Some countries still sport the same flag as they did in 1890 while other countries don’t even exist anymore! Let’s take a look at each one individually.
MEXICO
The Mexican flag and Sol Loco (Source: City of Toronto Archives)
This flag hasn’t changed and is probably one of the most recognizable on display at the park. Mexico’s pavilion included Sol Loco (Spanish for “Crazy Sun”) as the headline attraction, using centrifugal force to keep passengers held in place as the ride spun horizontally. Once it reached top speed, the entire ride lifted into a near-vertical position, taking riders upside down repeatedly before coming back down and slowing to a stop.
The entrance to the ride was originally located where Coasters Diner now sits, featuring some Mayan ruin theming elements and a taco stand at its side. The ride was renamed Orbiter in 2002 and received a new entrance in 2007, making it officially part of Action Zone. The taco building was removed at the end of 2006 while the ride remained until the end of the 2018 season.
HOLLAND/ NETHERLANDS
Another flag with no change, though I’ll admit to getting it confused with that of France on more than one occasion. The Netherlands, formerly, informally, referred to as Holland, is known for its lush tulip fields, unique wooden shoes and picturesque windmills. For the park’s 1890 Expo, the pavilion was a restaurant named Dutch Treats (below) with a prominent windmill on its roof. This was modelled after Blooker’s Dutch Cocoa Windmill from the 1893 World’s Fair. There, the mill reportedly ground cocoa on site to make free cocoa drinks for visitors.
Dutch Treats was replaced by a Teriyaki Experience location for the 2000 season, then became You Go Grill by the 2003 season. During this period, the windmill was removed. In 2013, the location took on its current name, Chicken Shack, serving both chicken related entrees and Beavertails.
JAPAN
At left, the Japanese flag, and at right, the Ho-o-den Japanese pavilion in Chicago, built for the 1893 World Fair (Source: Public Domain).
Japan’s iconic flag hasn’t changed, but its 1890 pavilion sure has! Originally named Ginza Gardens (below), this pavilion featured cherry blossoms, yew trees, and an intricately designed facade inspired by the Ho-o-Den (Phoenix Palace) Japanese pavilion built at the Chicago World Fair. The park restaurant was renamed Oriental Gardens in 1987 before taking on a new identity as Southside Grille in 1992.
In 2006, the restaurant embraced a movie set theme by becoming Backlot Cafe. Don’t let the name fool you; there are still plenty of international dishes to be found here today!
EGYPT
At left, the Ottoman Empire flag from 1890, and at right, a rendering of the Egyptian pavilion and ride 'Pharoah's Eye' at Canada's Wonderland.
This flag stumped me for a bit while researching because it’s the flag of the former Ottoman Empire, which controlled Egypt in 1890. If you’re wondering what the Egypt pavilion was, you’re not alone! Gone before I was born, Pharaoh’s Eye, a classic Round Up ride in which the riders stand up facing the centre of a circle (or eye), was removed in 1987 to make way for another ride. Or rather, slide…
Racing Rivers, a pair of waterslide attractions, took the site of Pharaoh’s Eye in 1988. It kept an Egyptian connection by naming one pair of the slides Pharaoh’s Falls. Racing Rivers was removed between 2000 and 2001, with its plot now being home to Psyclone.
MANCHURIA/ CHINA
At left, the Manchurian flag of 1890, and at right guests whirl around on The Great Whale of China.
This “yellow dragon” iteration of China’s flag was used during the last imperial dynasty, from 1862 until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912. As a play on the country’s world-famous Great Wall, the China pavilion at the park featured The Great 'Whale' of China including a large entrance arch and a pair of iconic guard lions at its entrance.
One of my personal favourite rides in the park’s history, The Great Whale of China had guests sit in two-person “boats” which circled a mural of the eponymous whale. With rapid changes in elevation and boats spinning around to face other riders, this ride was perfect for kids and parents alike!
The Great Whale of China was removed at the end of the 2003 season to make way for Tomb Raider: The Ride, now known as Time Warp, however the ride lives on as Peanuts Pirates at one of Wonderland’s sister parks, Carowinds!
INDIA
At left, the Indian flag, and at right, an artistic rendering of Shiva's Fury.
The “Star of India” flag, used during the British Empire’s rule over the country, had a few variations. This version, used between 1885 and 1947, was primarily used at international events such as World Expos in order to differentiate the Indian presence from the rest of Great Britain.
India’s pavilion featured Shiva’s Fury, a standard Eyerly Monster ride named for the destructive potential of a Hindu deity. Shiva is usually shown with four arms, leading to a slight visual similarity to the ride’s many arms holding the gondolas.
Shiva’s Fury was renamed The Fury in 1999 or 2000. Like its neighbour The Great Whale of China, The Fury was removed at the end of 2003 to make room for Time Warp. It was later sent to another sister park, Kings Island, to be used as spare parts for their own Eyerly Monster, fittingly named 'Monster'.
AFRICA
At left, the flag of the Congo which represented the African pavilion at Grande World Expo. At right, an artistic rendering of Zumba Flume.
Once used for the International African Association (or Association Internationale Africaine), this flag became the official flag for the Independent State of Congo (or Congo Free State) from 1885 until 1908 when it became the Belgian Congo. (The flag remained until the region regained independence in 1960).
Congo’s contribution to the Grande World Expo was a log ride taking you along a serpentine route through a field before travelling up a lift hill and down a 12m (40ft) drop. Named Zumba Flume, this ride was designed and built by the park and featured a rotating load/unload platform similar to that of White Water Canyon. The station and portions of the queue area had a thatch-styled roof and lumber was featured in much of the design.
Zumba Flume cooled off more than 14 million riders before being removed at the end of 1994 to make room for the debut of Top Gun in 1995, now known as Flight Deck.
SIAM
At left, the flag of Siam from 1890 and at right, the Siam pavilion at Chicago's World Fair in 1893. This structure was the inspiration for the Siam pavilion (and ride Swing of Siam), seen below).
Thailand, referred to as Siam until 1949, used this flag of an elephant without adornment from 1843 until 1916. (There were other flags used during portions of this period, but the timeline is a little too complicated for this blog.)
The pavilion of Siam consisted of the Swing of Siam, now known as Swing of the Century. The ride was originally located between Pharaoh’s Eye and Sol Loco and only moved to its current location in 1988. Interestingly, the ride’s name was changed a year after its relocation rather than coinciding with the move.
MOROCCO
The former flag of Morocco featured the Zulfiqar, a culturally significant sword spilt in two, often confused for a pair of scissors or two crossed sabres. Usually the flag had a border of white triangles pointing outward, though the number of triangles and the style of border was inconsistent. The park instead chose to feature a version of the flag with more rounded handles on the sabres and no border. Although I’ve been unable to confirm, it appears this version may have been used by Morocco at some world expos.
At left, Morroco's flag from the 1890 period. At right, the Moroccan pavilion seen in a photo from the 1980s at Canada's Wonderland, feauring an indoor and outdoor bazaar. (Source: Toronto Public Archive)
Morocco’s pavilion replicated the country’s most recognizable architecture to create an indoor/outdoor bazaar. This building has always stood tall behind the globe that welcomes visitors to World Expo, but it’s had a few different names over the years: Moroccan Bazaar; International Bazaar; Rock the Casbah; and All the Rage. For 2021, this building hosted the park’s 40th anniversary store, selling retro merchandise and featuring all sorts of fun park history elements!
For much of its time, the building also hosted the “Old Time Photo” shop, however this shop became its own building in 2015, matching the architecture of the Morocco pavilion.
The Grand Worlde Exposition of 1890 has changed quite a bit over the park’s 40-year history and most of the original pavilions have been changed or removed over the years, but the theme remains ripe with possibilities. The name from some time ago, evoking a time long gone, returned in 2019 and only time will tell what new pavilions could pop up in the future.