Credit: UniversalA new report suggests that there’s more to the closure of Skull Island: Reign of Kong than previously thought, with the attraction’s iconic animatronic allegedly damaged in a fire.
King Kong first became a Universal Orlando Resort fixture with Kongfrontation, one of Universal Studios Florida’s original 1990 attractions. The ride sent guests through a Kong-ravaged New York aboard suspended tram vehicles before closing in September 2002, when its building was repurposed for Revenge of the Mummy.
Kong returned to Orlando with Skull Island: Reign of Kong, announced in May 2015 and officially opened at Islands of Adventure on July 13, 2016. The attraction uses 40-foot, 17-ton expedition vehicles, large-scale 3D scenes, and a massive Kong animatronic for its final face-to-face encounter.
However, the attraction has been closed to all Universal guests for weeks – and we may now know why.
Rumor Suggests King Kong Caught Fire
An unverified report shared in a Universal Orlando Facebook group claims the King Kong animatronic caught fire while undergoing repairs. The post alleges that the incident is responsible for Skull Island: Reign of Kong’s prolonged closure.
Similar claims have since surfaced among Universal Orlando fans on Reddit, where one commenter also stated that Kong had caught fire. However, neither report included photographs, documentation, or an identifiable source to confirm what happened.
Universal Orlando Resort has not confirmed that a fire took place, nor has it revealed whether the Kong animatronic has been damaged. The resort has yet to provide an official explanation for the attraction’s closure or announce when it could reopen, but Skull Island: Reign of Kong is currently listed as closed on the Universal Orlando Resort app (although hours are, confusingly, listed on the resort’s website).
The scale of the figure could make any major repair a considerable undertaking. Universal previously described Kong as roughly three stories tall and 18 feet wide across the shoulders, with a head larger than a car.
There is an obvious irony to the latest rumor. Kong has already been destroyed by fire once at Universal, albeit on the opposite coast. In June 2008, a major backlot blaze at Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed the original 30-foot King Kong animatronic used on the Studio Tour.
That version of Kong had been a Studio Tour centerpiece since 1986. Universal eventually replaced it with King Kong 360, which opened in 2010 and swapped the physical ape for a large-scale digital experience, which dropped its 3D element earlier this year. If the new Orlando rumor is accurate, it would give Kong an unfortunate second history with fire at Universal Parks.
History of Issues for Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Even before this latest closure, Skull Island: Reign of Kong was struggling with reliability. Inside the Magic reported that the attraction closed 87 times in January 2026 alone, with repeated operational issues continuing into February.
Kong also does not command the same demand as Islands of Adventure’s biggest attractions. Its average posted wait in 2026 has been around 25 minutes, as per Queue Times data, compared to 56 minutes for Jurassic World VelociCoaster and 107 minutes for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
While it’s only natural – and, in fact, necessary – that some theme park attractions are less popular than others, this, combined with its lack of reliability (plus possible fire damage), raises questions about its long-term future. Skull Island occupies its own substantial themed area between Toon Lagoon and Jurassic Park, with a large show building, an outdoor ride path, a queue, and elaborate rockwork dedicated almost entirely to a single attraction.
Universal has not announced plans to permanently close or demolish Reign of Kong, so any talk of a replacement remains speculation. Still, with recurring downtime, relatively modest waits, and a sizeable footprint, the site would give Universal considerable room for something new if it eventually decided Kong had reached the end of its reign.
Do you think Universal should scrap Skull Island: Reign of Kong?
