Well that was the dream back in the early 1980s for the bakers of "Wonderworld - Themepark and Related Industries Development, Corby" who went as far as producing this A4 sized full colour 68 page guide to their plans.
I recently acquired a copy of the guide having:
a). been intrigued by the image of Dan Dare on the cover; and
b). never having seen a copy of this before
The brochure outlines the developers plans for their early 1980s version of what sounds to me very much like a millennium dome style project.
"What is it? Imagine a place that has as its reason for existence, entertainment and education. A unique resort set in beautifully landscaped surroundings that blends in in perfectly with the neighbouring countryside. That takes into account the British climate and so includes a vast weather-protected centre in the tradition of the Great Exhibition Hall of 1851. A centre where the widest variety of attractions can be housed, each based on a particular theme such as the technology of the day or social or environmental matters. Themes that not only look at our prospects for the future but also at our national heritage of history, folklore and fairytale. An ambitious project, but one that' well under way. Its name is WonderWorld."
So, it's an indoor theme park. It has a number of zones - including land, safety, rhyme, sport, the world, energy, sea and communication.
It's the communication zone/area that interests me the most. Officially entitled "Communication - sailing messages across the airwaves" this zone has 4 pages (all shown below) in the brochure.
The zone contains the following areas... Commercial radio station
DIY recording studio
Razzamatazz territory
Film showcase
Special effects studio
Print works
DIY TV studio
Professional TV studio
Monorail
Dan Dare restaurant
Radio fun food
Dan Dare emporium: books, cards, souvenirs, space kits, action toys
Wonderworld Post Office
Service facilities
The brochure notes:
"When planning the Communications Centre much thought was given to ensuring it does not become dated. Even Disney's 'Tomorrowland' today looks distinctly yesteryear. So the space city architecture of Frank Hampson, creator of Dan Dare, was chosen. Conceived in the late 1940s, his work still has the same futuristic appeal protected from the aging process by the special wrap of fantasy".
the image at the bottom of this page featured in 'The man who drew tomorrow' - Alastair Crompton's biography of Frank Hampson - on page 198 (but without any context or mention of WonderWorld)
This looks like the Dan Dare restaurant that I highlighted above
the large image of this page featured in 'The man who drew tomorrow' - Alastair Crompton's biography of Frank Hampson - on page 199 (but without any context or mention of WonderWorld).
If you have more details on the whole WonderWorld project then I'd be delighted to hear them.
