“Selections from the Landmark Collection” offers look at never-built theme parks, shows & attractions

Jim Hill

16 years ago

It is one of the cruelest ironies of working in the themed entertainment industry. That 99.9999% of the rides, shows and attractions that you dream up never ever get built. It’s only those lucky few that make it off the drawing board. And as for the rest … Whatever concept art that actually gets worked up then gets stuffed away in some drawer. Never again to see the light of day.

Which is why people in the industry began buzzing this past weekend when word got out about “Selections from the Landmark Collection.” Which put a wide variety of concept art from the Landmark Entertainment Group’s vaults out where the whole world could see it.

As you dig down through that web page and/or peruse the items that are currently up for sale over on eBay, it’s a simply breathtaking collection of stuff. You’ll find things like an early, early concept for the Universal Orlando Resort …

Or — better yet — how about a look at that Wonderful World of Oz park that was supposed to be build in Desoto, KS. back in the late 1990s?

There’s a veritable treasure trove of the never-was here. A concept painting for a Jumanji
-themed attraction that Landmark designed for an MGM-themed park that was to built in the Orient.

A pencil sketch for a stage show built around the
“Dinotopia” books.

But the true gold here, the stuff that (I’m sure) will send Disneyana fans straight over the edge, are five drawings that Disney Legend Marc Davis did for Landmark after he retired from WED back in 1978.

Marc designed these Toy Circus characters for a show that was supposed to be installed at the Six Flags Power Plant …

… this indoor theme park that was built right at the edge of Baltimore’s inner harbor.

Unfortunately, Davis’ Toy Circus show never actually made it off the drawing board.

And neither did T.W. Springfield …

… the character that Marc designed to serve as the spokesman … er … frog for that Mark Twain’s Calaveras County theme park that Landmark wanted to build in Valencia, CA. back in the early 1980s.

But Davis’ post-Disney work still lives on, thanks to this “Selections from the Landmark Collection” sale.

A quick word of warning, though. While I may have used 10 pictures to illustrate today’s article, there are literally hundreds of images on display over at the “Selections from the Landmark Collection” website. Here you’ll find everything from concept paintings & pencil sketches to character maquettes. Even full-sized models of theme parks that were never built, like the Calaveras County model depicted above.

Mind you, many of the items offered in the eBay store dedicated to “Selections from the Landmark Collection” are marked “Buy It Now or Best Offer.” And if you’re like me (i.e. light of pocket but deep in interest when it comes to theme park history), you’re probably going to want to get over to this website ASAP. So that you can then view all of this concept art before the die-hard “Oz” & Star Trek collectors start snapping it up.

And just so you know: I have no vested interest in the outcome of these “Selections from the Landmark Collection” auctions. The people behind these online offerings are NOT JimHillMedia.com advertisers. NOR have we have been promised anything in return for posting this promotional piece.

I just wrote about this collection of concept paintings today because I thought that they were cool. More importantly, because I thought that JHM readers might really enjoy clicking through the “Selections of the Landmark Collection” as part of their lazy Monday morning.

So start clicking away, people. Oh … And Happy Presidents’ Day.