Universal Orlando Resort has finally acknowledged the extended closure of Skull Island: Reign of Kong, confirming damage to the ride's massive animatronic centerpiece while stopping short of offering guests any timeline for King Kong's return.
Weeks of Unexplained Downtime
Skull Island: Reign of Kong has been closed since August 26, a shutdown that took theme park guests by surprise, as the ride wasn't listed on any scheduled refurbishment calendar. Universal Orlando Resort offered no immediate explanation, and because technology-driven attractions sometimes require unannounced maintenance, the closure initially didn't raise many red flags.
That began to change as speculation mounted in the weeks that followed. Rumors suggested the ride's three-story-tall animatronic gorilla had been badly damaged in a fire, prompting the closure. Given how heavily the attraction relies on that single animatronic centerpiece — especially compared to its otherwise screen-based ride experience — some fans even wondered whether Universal might scrap plans to repair it altogether and retheme the ride instead.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong debuted at Universal Islands of Adventure in 2016. Its towering King Kong figure measures more than 30 feet tall and 18 feet wide, making any necessary repairs both time-consuming and expensive.
Universal Finally Responds
Universal Orlando Resort addressed the situation directly on Monday morning through a statement given to BlogMickey. The outlet shared the confirmation on X (formerly known as Twitter), posting:
UPDATE: Universal Orlando has confirmed to BlogMickey that the King Kong animatronic sustained damage during routine maintenance. A reopening timeframe has not been identified
UPDATE: Universal Orlando has confirmed to BlogMickey that the King Kong animatronic sustained damage during routine maintenance. A reopening timeframe has not been identified https://t.co/img0G4qssJ
— BlogMickey.com (@Blog_Mickey) September 14, 2026
Universal's statement remained fairly vague, leaving unclear whether a fire played any role in the damage sustained during what the park described only as “routine maintenance.” The full statement read:
“During routine maintenance, the King Kong animatronic sustained damage and is undergoing repairs. We look forward to welcoming guests back once the work is complete.”
No reopening date has been set for Skull Island: Reign of Kong. However, the wording of Universal's statement suggests the park plans to repair the animatronic rather than remove or replace the attraction. As of now, Universal Orlando Resort's official website still makes no mention of the closure.
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