Universal King Kong ride closed after animatronic damaged during maintenance
ORLANDO, Fla. - Universal's "Skull Island: Reign of Kong" attraction is temporarily closed after the larger-than-life animatronic was damaged, a spokesperson has confirmed to FOX 35.
What happened?
What they're saying:
"During routine maintenance, the King Kong animatronic sustained damage and is undergoing repairs. We look forward to welcoming guests back once the work is complete," a spokesperson said in a statement.
What we don't know:
Universal did not elaborate on the extent of the damage to the King animatronic and did not share a timeline for how long the repairs could take, or how long the ride was expected to be down.
The backstory:
The King Kong-themed attraction officially opened at Universal's Islands of Adventure in July 2016.
Here is how the ride was described at its opening:
"The adventure begins as guests are transported deep into a mysterious world, where their mission is to discover creatures of unknown origin with the 8th Wonder Expedition Company, the research team leading the excursion. After braving ancient temple ruins and encountering hostile natives, they board a massive 40-foot-long, 17-ton expedition vehicle to navigate the increasingly foreboding terrain."
The Source: Universal issued a short statement via a spokesperson on the status of "Skull Island: Reign of Kong." Additional information was pulled from the attraction's website and a 2016 news release regarding the opening of the King Kong attraction at Universal's Islands of Adventure.