Change is nothing new for the Universal Studio Tour.
For more than six decades, the attraction has taken guests behind the scenes of filmmaking at Universal Studios Hollywood, combining real backlot sets with themed show scenes inspired by major Hollywood productions.
Over time, the experience has steadily evolved as technology and audience expectations shift. Some updates add new blockbuster moments, while others quietly alter existing segments.
Now, Universal has confirmed another adjustment to the long-running tour.
Universal Studio Tour Continues to Change
The Universal Studio Tour officially opened in 1964, though backlot visits date back to the silent-film era, when small groups of guests were occasionally allowed onto the lot.
Universal formalized the experience under studio head Lew Wasserman. Guests boarded trams that traveled through an active working studio. The tour soon became the centerpiece attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. Unlike traditional theme park rides, it blended real filmmaking locations with staged entertainment elements.
Several upgrades were introduced in the following decades to keep the experience fresh. Practical effects scenes were added in the 1970s and 1980s, including the collapsing bridge and the famous flash flood sequence.
Later updates leaned into blockbuster storytelling. Segments tied to films such as Jaws, King Kong, and Fast & Furious were added along the route.
In 2025, Universal removed Fast & Furious—Supercharged from the tour. The segment, which had operated for a decade, placed guests in a chase sequence with characters including Luke Hobbs, Roman Pearce, and Letty Ortiz.
The closure came ahead of the upcoming opening of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, Universal Studios Hollywood’s first high-speed outdoor roller coaster.
With that segment gone, attention has turned to other parts of the tour.
Universal Removes 3D From King Kong 360
Universal Studios Hollywood has now confirmed another update to the Studio Tour.
The park’s official website has been updated to state that King Kong 360 will no longer use 3D projection.
Universal Studios Hollywood has updated its website confirming 3D has been removed from King Kong 360 on the Studio Tour. The attraction will now run in standard 2D. @UniStudios pic.twitter.com/EbgNTRklUr
— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) March 11, 2026
Previously, guests wore 3D glasses during the sequence. Inside the attraction tunnel, riders witnessed “a terrifying struggle between a 35-foot T-Rex and the 8th wonder of the world – King Kong.”
The scene will now play in 2D instead.
King Kong 360 first debuted in 2010 as one of the tour’s largest technological upgrades. Massive projection screens surround the tram, creating the illusion of a battle unfolding around guests.
Here’s a look at the new 2D format of King Kong 360 on the Studio Tour. The picture is super clean and crisp in person.
@UniStudios
Here’s a look at the new 2D format of King Kong 360 on the Studio Tour. The picture is super clean and crisp in person. @UniStudios pic.twitter.com/7nczdL8CO7
— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) March 11, 2026
The segment had recently been closed temporarily, leading fans to speculate that Universal might remove the 3D component.
Those theories have now been confirmed.
Videos shared from the updated version of the tour show the scene playing in 2D, with viewers praising the clarity of the image. One video caption described the footage as “super clean and crisp” in person.
The change also reflects a wider shift across the theme park industry.
Some attractions that originally relied on 3D projection have removed the glasses-based format in recent years. At Walt Disney World Resort’s EPCOT, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure recently dropped its 3D presentation.
The version of the ride at Walt Disney Studios Park — soon to become Disney Adventure World — at Disneyland Paris has also made the same change.
Universal Studios Hollywood has made similar adjustments before. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey originally used 3D but removed the feature less than a year after opening.
Three-dimensional effects can divide audiences. Some guests report headaches or nausea when 3D visuals are combined with motion simulation.
Others argue the technology has been overused in theme parks, with screen-based scenes replacing physical sets or animatronics.
Some fans responding online have suggested Universal should go further.
“Bring back the gigantic animatronic that used to break!” wrote one X user. “With modern technology it should run smoother! We have robots nowadays!”
Others have suggested replacing the segment entirely.
“Just put something else in then,” another fan wrote. “Watering down rides is not the way to extend their lives.”
For now, however, the attraction remains part of the Studio Tour.
Following the update to King Kong 360, only two attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood still use glasses-based 3D: TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D and Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
DreamWorks Theatre Featuring Kung Fu Panda uses a different approach. The show relies on a 180-degree panoramic screen and projection technology rather than traditional 3D glasses.
Do you think Universal is right to remove the 3D in King Kong 360?
