Attractions Magazine shared a statement from a Universal Orlando spokesperson confirming that the rumors are true: the Skull Island: Reign of Kong animatronic’s damage is the reason for the ride’s indefinite closure.

Universal Confirms King Kong Animatronic Damaged

Skull Island: Reign of Kong has experienced a persistent, unannounced closure for the past few weeks at Universal Islands of Adventure. As it has remained unexpectedly closed, rumors swirled on Facebook and Reddit that the attraction’s titular animatronic had been damaged, possibly by fire.

Universal Orlando has now confirmed that the animatronic is damaged in a statement given to Attractions Magazine:

“During routine maintenance, the King Kong animatronic sustained damage and is undergoing repairs,” a Universal Orlando spokesperson told Attractions Magazine. “We look forward to welcoming guests back once the work is complete.”

The life-size animatronic is one of the attraction’s most prominent physical elements and distinguishes its finale from the preceding projection-based sequences. Universal did not provide any further details about how the damage occurred (other than “routine maintenance”), the extent of the damage, or the refurbishment timeline.

No reopening date has been announced for the attraction.

About Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Skull Island: Reign of Kong officially opened at Universal Islands of Adventure on July 13, 2016. The dark ride takes guests aboard large, trackless expedition vehicles for a journey combining physical environments, animatronics, and screen-based encounters with the creatures of Skull Island.

The adventure concludes with a close encounter with a massive physical King Kong figure. When Universal unveiled the animatronic, it described Kong as approximately three stories tall and 18 feet wide across the shoulders, with a head larger than an automobile.

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