Skull Island: Reign of Kong has reopened at Universal Islands of Adventure, but guests returning to the attraction are finding a noticeably different ending. The enormous King Kong animatronic that traditionally provides the ride’s final encounter is missing from view, with black curtains now blocking the area where the figure stood.
The September 18 development follows a weeks-long closure and Universal Orlando Resort’s confirmation that the Kong figure sustained damage during routine maintenance. Universal has not publicly said that the animatronic was removed permanently, nor has it confirmed reports that a fire caused the damage.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong Reopens Without Kong Finale
Dueling Park News reported from Islands of Adventure on September 18 that Skull Island had reopened, sharing images of black curtains concealing the animatronic's usual location. According to the account, the rest of the attraction appeared largely unchanged. Dueling Park News report on X
That makes the reopening unusual. Guests can once again experience the attraction's expedition through Skull Island, but its signature physical payoff is currently absent from view.
Universal's own materials continue to list Skull Island: Reign of Kong as an Islands of Adventure attraction. The company's accessibility guide describes it as an expedition through King Kong's natural habitat involving rough terrain, sudden acceleration, tilting, and show effects.
For guests who have followed the shutdown, however, the black curtains are likely to raise another question: what exactly happened to Kong?
Universal Confirmed Its King Kong Animatronic Was Damaged
The attraction had been closed since August 26, according to Inside the Magic's previous coverage of the extended Skull Island closure. During that shutdown, reports emerged alleging that the massive figure had been damaged in a fire.
Universal eventually confirmed part of the story, but importantly, not all of it.
On September 14, Universal told BlogMickey that the King Kong figure had sustained damage during routine maintenance and was undergoing repairs. The company said at the time that it looked forward to welcoming guests back once the work was complete. Universal did not specify the nature of the damage or confirm that a fire occurred.
That distinction matters. While reports surrounding the King Kong animatronic have connected its damage to a possible fire, the fire claim remains unconfirmed by Universal. What is now observable is the consequence: the attraction has returned while its most prominent physical figure remains out of sight.
Black Curtains Now Cover One of the Ride's Biggest Moments
For Skull Island, losing Kong from the finale isn't a minor cosmetic change.
The attraction relies heavily on large projected sequences as its expedition vehicles encounter creatures across the island. Its ending changes the visual language completely, bringing riders alongside an enormous physical representation of Kong rather than another projected version of the character.
That scale was intentional. During the attraction's original development, Universal Creative discussed how nearly every element of Skull Island had to feel enormous, from the temple and ride vehicles to the giant Kong figure itself. Inside the Magic's original look at the attraction's massive scale
Skull Island officially opened at Islands of Adventure on July 13, 2016, returning King Kong to Universal Orlando after the earlier Kongfrontation attraction disappeared from Universal Studios Florida. Inside the Magic's coverage of Skull Island's 2016 opening
Ten years later, guests are temporarily getting the attraction without that climactic physical encounter.
The Curtains Don't Confirm What Happened Behind Them
The timing inevitably connects the covered finale with the recently confirmed damage, but there are limits to what can responsibly be concluded.
Universal has not announced that Kong was destroyed. It has not said the figure is beyond repair, confirmed that it has been removed from the building, or announced a permanent replacement for the scene. There is also no official confirmation that reopening without the figure represents a long-term operating plan.
The black curtains therefore conceal more than Kong; they conceal the current status of the repairs.
That's particularly noteworthy because Universal had previously indicated that the figure was undergoing repairs. Reopening the attraction before guests can see Kong suggests Universal determined that the remainder of the ride could operate without the final figure visible, although the company has not publicly explained that operational decision.
For guests planning an Islands of Adventure visit, the practical takeaway is simpler: Skull Island is operating again, but the traditional finale isn't currently part of the experience.
Islands of Adventure Is Already Going Through Major Changes
Kong's unusual reopening arrives during a broader period of transition at Islands of Adventure.
Universal has already confirmed additional 2027 attraction closures at Islands of Adventure, while other areas of the park have undergone construction and refurbishment work. That makes the condition of a decade-old attraction like Skull Island especially worth watching.
It does not, however, mean Skull Island is closing permanently. Universal still lists the attraction in its current Islands of Adventure lineup, and no replacement has been announced.
The immediate mystery is much narrower: when—or whether—the massive Kong figure will return to its familiar position.
Until Universal provides another update or the curtains come down, guests can once again venture onto Skull Island. They just won't currently come face-to-face with the creature whose name is synonymous with the attraction.
