Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!
So usually when events first start I jump out with SIB posts first because that tends to be the number 1 thing requested (after the calendar). However, with this event seems like a lot of you are getting confused with the Bonus Area/Upgrading the Emu Experience so I figured let’s start with an explanation on that.
If you’re looking for information about how to increase your Amusement/Bonus Area percentage and/or information about Upgrading the Emu Experience (or Big Cat Country) and/or where the heck the animals go when you unlock them via upgrade this is the post for you. So please, read this post in its entirety. If you’re still confused, read it again. And then…if you’re still lost ask your question in the comments below.
Let’s get started….
Let’s start with the obvious…crafting, at least in its traditional sense, is nowhere to be found with this update. For some of you, myself included, that’s fantastic news. As we’ve been begging EA to get rid of traditional crafting for a while now. For others, you may be bummed by this. And if you’re among those bummed out by the lack of crafting, try to look at the bright side. Items that normally would be craftables (Zoo Walls, Enclosures etc) are now available to purchase for in-game cash! So you get all the benefits of crafting, without the grind. Plus something to spend that cash on. Win-win in my book!
So, if there’s no crafting with this event what exactly is there? Well outside of the normal prize track, there’s upgrading. Various attractions you will earn throughout the event (5 total I believe, 2 each for Acts 1 and 2 and 1 for Act 3) will have upgrade features. Each time you upgrade an attraction you’ll unlock either additional animals to place within the attraction or a unique decoration for that particular attraction. And each unique decoration provides a boost to your Arrangement/Amusement bonus %. (the animals do not)
So what exactly am I talking about? Let’s break it down further….
Currency You’ll Need for Upgrades
Sanctuary Grants are the upgrade currency you’ll need to upgrade your Attractions.
They look like this…
And are awarded/earned in various ways.
The first way is via the Tappables in Springfield and/or in your Neighbor’s town. Each Tappable you clear will earn you 2
The second way to earn Sanctuary Grants is via Invasive Tadpoles/Toads. For every Invasive Tadpole, you send to a neighbor’s town you’ll earn 2
The third way to earn the Sanctuary Grants is to send characters to volunteer at various attractions. (remember you can do this via the Springfield Zoo sign) Each character will earn a base of 7
The fourth way is via the prize track. Each Act will have 1 prize that awards 3,000
Ok so now that we understand the currency needed to upgrade, and how you earn it…
How exactly do you upgrade and what happens when you do?
So for Act 1 of Moe’s Ark there are two Attractions that can be upgraded, the Emu Experience and Big Cat Country. The Emu Experience is a free attraction you’re awarded during the Act 1 questline. While Big Cat Country is the 5th prize in the Act 1 prize track (and requires 23,300 
Emu Experience
When you tap on the Emu Experience you’ll see an option for Animals and an option for Upgrade. For now let’s focus on Upgrade, I’ll cover animals in a bit.
So don’t panic that you can’t find the animal in your inventory or in Springfield. It’s not there. Again, we’ll discuss it in more detail in a minute.
So how does the Amusement/Attraction Bonus come into play?
Well, the decorations you earn from the upgrade track each award an attraction/amusement bonus % when unlocked and placed in that area. (the animals do not earn a bonus %.)
So the Duck Pond, Hay Bale and Petting Zoo Awning each award a bonus % when placed in the bonus area (around the Springfield Zoo sign).
Here’s the breakdown of what each upgrade costs (in Sanctuary Grants) for the Emu Experience and what the bonus % awarded is (if one applies):
| Emu Experience Upgrades | |||
| Level | Prize | Cost | Bonus % |
| 2 | Bighorn (Animal)
|
500 |
n/a |
| 3 | Duck Pond
|
750 |
1% |
| 4 | Buck and Fawn (Animals)
|
500 |
n/a |
| 5 | Hay Bale
|
750 |
1% |
| 6 | Armadillo (Animal)
|
500 |
n/a |
| 7 | Petting Zoo Awning
|
750 |
1% |
| 8 | Emu Experience
|
900 |
1.25% |
Why is there an Emu Experience at the end up the upgrades?/What happens when I’ve Finished the Upgrade Track?
Once you’ve completed the upgrades and gotten to level 7, you’ll notice there’s another Emu Experience for 900
You don’t have to have a second Emu Experience if you don’t want one, but if you like it and want another that’s your chance to collect everything a second time.
So now let’s talk about…
Big Cat Country Upgrades
Once you’ve collected 23,300
Big Cat Country, once unlocked from the Prize Track, earns a 2.25% bonus in the bonus area.
Note: You’ll also be able to send different Springfielders to Volunteer here once unlocked. (again this is done through the Springfield Zoo Entrance) Martin, Comicbook Guy and Moe are NEW characters that can volunteer here to earn even more event currency. Those 3 are unable to volunteer at the Emu Experience.
Tap on Big Cat Country to find the Upgrade option…
And if you have an upgrade available the icon will turn Green and say Upgrade:
Here’s the breakdown of what each upgrade costs (in Sanctuary Grants) for Big Cat Country and what the bonus % awarded is (if one applies):
| Big Cat Country Upgrades | |||
| Level | Prize | Cost | Bonus % |
| 2 | Cheetah (Animal) |
750 |
n/a |
| 3 | Big Cat Play Area |
1,000 |
1.5% |
| 4 | Panther (Animal) |
750 |
n/a |
| 5 | Big Cat Lazy Rock |
1,000 |
1.5% |
| 6 | White Tiger (Animal) |
750 |
n/a |
| 7 | Big Cat Lazy River |
1,000 |
1.5% |
| 8 | Big Cat Country |
1,575 |
2.25% |
Just like with the Emu Experience, if you’d like another Big Cat Country you can upgrade to unlock another and start the whole upgrade experience over again.
Oh and for those concerned about size for the extension pieces, here’s the size chart for each:
| Item | Size |
| Emu Experience | 8×8 |
| Duck Pond | 4×4 |
| Hay Bale | 4×4 |
| Petting Zoo Awning | 4×8 |
| Big Cat Country | 8×8 |
| Big Cat Play Area | 4×4 |
| Big Cat Lazy Rock | 4×4 |
| Big Cat Lazy River | 8×4 |
So now that we’ve covered upgrades, let’s talk about…
Animals
So what the heck do you do with all the animals you unlock during the upgrades? They don’t roam around Springfield, so what do they do?
Well, each animal you unlock via each Habitat/Attraction upgrade and be viewed within the confineds of that Habitat. What does that mean exactly? It means that within the Emu Experience you can have th Emu, Llama, Ram and Armadillo visable. Similary with Big Cat Country.
How does it work?
Simply tap the Habitat/Attraction you want to select animals for and tap the Purple View option next to Animals
Once you’ve selected animals and filled all 4 slots you can make animal changes depending on your mood. Simply tap the Purple Change icon…
You can also select multiples of the same animal to appear. So if you only want Emu’s at the Emu Experience you can:
So remember, the animals unlocked via upgrading Habitats are NOT Free-Range Animals to roam around Springfield. They’re animals that will unlock for viewing at each individual Habitat (and no there’s no crossover. So you can’t have Emu’s at Big Cat Country or Lions at the Emu Experience. Certain animals are meant to be kept apart). So when you unlock them you won’t find them in your inventory or running around your town. You’ll simply unlock the ability to have to become visable at their corresponding Habitat.
And in the end, if you choose unique animals for each, they’ll look like this…
With each animal out there for all the Zoo visitors to experience…
And that my friends concludes the details up Upgrading and the Amusement/Arrangement bonus for Moe’s Ark Act 1. Hopefully this clears some things up for those of you who have been confused on the whole process.
Thoughts on upgrades? How about traditional crafting going “bye-bye” for this event? Thoughts on the animals in the habitats? Sound off below, you know we love hearing from you!