There's more to the ongoing closure of Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal's Islands of Adventure than meets the eye — at least according to a new, unverified report circulating among theme park fans. The rumor? The attraction's massive King Kong animatronic allegedly caught fire while undergoing repairs.
A Little Kong History
King Kong has been part of the Universal Orlando Resort story for decades. The original Kong experience, Kongfrontation, was one of Universal Studios Florida's opening-day attractions in 1990, whisking guests through a Kong-ravaged New York on suspended tram vehicles. It closed in September 2002, with its building later repurposed for Revenge of the Mummy.
Kong made his Orlando comeback with Skull Island: Reign of Kong, announced in May 2015 and officially opened at Islands of Adventure on July 13, 2016. The attraction features 40-foot, 17-ton expedition vehicles, large-scale 3D scenes, and a towering Kong animatronic for a climactic face-to-face encounter. Universal has described the figure as roughly three stories tall, 18 feet wide across the shoulders, with a head larger than a car.
The Fire Rumor
Skull Island: Reign of Kong has been closed to guests for weeks, and fans have been eager for answers. An unverified post in a Universal Orlando Facebook group claims the King Kong animatronic caught fire during repairs, and that this incident is behind the prolonged closure. Similar claims have since appeared on Reddit, with at least one commenter echoing the fire story.
That said, neither report included photographs, documentation, or an identifiable source to back up the claim. Universal Orlando Resort has not confirmed that a fire occurred, nor has it revealed whether the animatronic sustained any damage. The resort has also not provided an official explanation for the closure or announced a reopening date. Interestingly, Skull Island: Reign of Kong is currently listed as closed on the Universal Orlando Resort app, though operating hours still appear on the resort's website.
An Unfortunate Parallel
If the rumor turns out to be true, it would give Kong an unfortunate second chapter involving fire at a Universal park. Back in June 2008, a major backlot blaze at Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed the original 30-foot King Kong animatronic that 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 — one that dropped its 3D element earlier this year.
A History of Reliability Issues
Even before this latest closure, Skull Island: Reign of Kong was having a rough stretch. The attraction reportedly closed 87 times in January 2026 alone, with repeated operational issues continuing into February. Its average posted wait time in 2026 has hovered around 25 minutes, according to Queue Times data — a modest figure compared to 56 minutes for Jurassic World VelociCoaster and 107 minutes for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
What Does the Future Hold?
The combination of recurring downtime, relatively modest wait times, and the possibility of fire damage has naturally sparked questions about the attraction's long-term future. Skull Island occupies a substantial themed area between Toon Lagoon and Jurassic Park, complete with a large show building, an outdoor ride path, a queue, and elaborate rockwork — all dedicated almost entirely to a single attraction.
To be clear, Universal has not announced any plans to permanently close or demolish Reign of Kong, and any talk of a replacement remains speculation. Still, with its sizeable footprint and ongoing challenges, the site would offer Universal considerable room to work with if it ever decided Kong's reign had come to an end.
We'll be keeping a close eye on any official updates from Universal Orlando Resort. In the meantime, what do you think — should Universal work to restore Skull Island: Reign of Kong, or is it time for something new?