XP users:

1. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the following location:

C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 World Adventures\Game\Bin

For Vista and Windows 7, the location will be your main directory. I don't know the exact location but they should be similar. Just as long as you can navigate to the Bin folder in the main Sims 3 World Adventures directory.

2. Look for a file called TS3EP01. Make a desktop shortcut on that file by right-clicking on it and then choosing Send To (Create a desktop shortcut).

That is the workaround to using the launcher to start up the game.

I also use Pescado's 3booter, a nifty little program also available from MATY, to start up the game too. The shortcut method is the same for this particular file because this one will start the game instead of TSEP01. You might want to look at 3booter to see if this will solve the problem for you starting up the game.