Universal Orlando Resort has a major attraction sitting idle at Islands of Adventure, and its eventual return may not be as simple as reopening the doors.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong has experienced an extended, unannounced closure, with Universal providing no official reopening date. Making matters more interesting, an unconfirmed report claims the enormous King Kong animatronic inside the attraction caught fire while undergoing repairs.
Universal has not confirmed that a fire occurred, and there is no verified information about potential damage.
Still, if Kong needs significant repairs, Universal could have a major decision ahead.
King Kong Has Been Missing for Weeks
Skull Island: Reign of Kong opened in July 2016, combining trackless expedition vehicles, physical environments, screens, and animatronics.
Its biggest physical feature comes near the finale.
Guests pass an enormous King Kong animatronic that Universal previously described as approximately three stories tall and 18 feet wide across the shoulders.
That figure could now be at the center of the attraction's extended shutdown.
Reports circulating online claim the animatronic allegedly caught fire during repair work. Again, Universal hasn't confirmed those claims, meaning the exact reason for the closure remains unknown.
Whatever happened, Skull Island isn't currently operating, leaving Universal with several potential paths forward.
Universal Could Make a Controversial Change
The simplest outcome may be repairing the existing Kong figure.
Considering the animatronic's enormous size and mechanical complexity, however, that could potentially require substantial work. Universal could also decide to replace Kong with a new physical figure if repairing the existing one isn't practical.
Another possibility would likely receive a much colder response from fans.
Universal could remove the physical Kong and replace the finale with another screen.
Skull Island already relies heavily on screens throughout its main ride sequence. The enormous Kong figure gives guests a physical payoff before their adventure ends.
Replacing it with another projected scene would make an already screen-heavy attraction even more dependent on that technology.
Then there's the biggest possibility of all.
Could Universal Replace Skull Island Entirely?
Universal could eventually decide that Skull Island: Reign of Kong itself has reached the end.
A complete replacement would undoubtedly be the most expensive option. Universal would need to develop another attraction, potentially demolish existing portions of Skull Island, and spend considerably more than it would on repairing one animatronic.
For fans ready to see something new at Islands of Adventure, though, that option could be the most exciting.
Nothing suggests Universal has officially made that decision.
The company hasn't announced Skull Island's permanent closure, and it's entirely possible that Kong can be repaired before the attraction eventually reopens.
For now, Universal's silence leaves plenty of room for questions.
Repair Kong, replace the animatronic, turn the finale into another screen, or replace the attraction entirely?
Until Universal reveals what is happening, all four possibilities remain worth watching.
