Universal Orlando Resort has built a reputation on being fast, efficient, and packed with rides that keep crowds moving. Even when the parks are slammed, there’s usually a sense that everything is running the way it’s supposed to. Lines stay manageable, attractions remain open, and guests can still knock out a whole day without feeling like everything is falling apart.
But lately, that rhythm has been getting disrupted.
Guests have started noticing that one major attraction isn’t delivering the same reliable experience Universal is known for. Instead of hearing people talk about how intense or immersive it is, more and more chatter has shifted toward one frustrating issue: the ride keeps going down.
And when a headliner attraction starts building a reputation for shutdowns, it doesn’t take long before fans start asking bigger questions about its future.
Universal Has Been Raising the Bar
Universal has always been more willing than most theme park companies to make big moves. If something stops fitting the direction of the parks, the resort doesn’t hesitate to adjust. Fans might not always love those changes, but Universal rarely keeps an attraction around just because it’s familiar.
Now that Epic Universe is open, those expectations are even higher. Universal is operating in a new era where guests want cutting-edge experiences that feel polished, immersive, and most importantly, consistent.
That last part matters more than people realize.
A ride doesn’t just need to look impressive. It needs to stay operational. If it can’t, it starts creating ripple effects across the entire park, from crowd congestion to frustration for guests who planned their day around it.
When Downtime Becomes Predictable, Guests Stop Caring
Every theme park ride has downtime. That’s normal. Universal rides are complex, and it’s expected that technical resets and maintenance pauses will happen occasionally.
But there’s a point where downtime stops feeling like a random inconvenience and starts feeling like the ride’s identity.
Once guests begin assuming a ride might be closed, they stop prioritizing it. They stop heading to that area first and stop waiting in long standby lines. They treat it like a gamble, and that’s the worst reputation a headliner attraction can develop.
And that’s precisely the situation Universal seems to be facing right now.
One Attraction Is Becoming a Problem
The ride drawing the most attention is Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Islands of Adventure.
This attraction was designed to feel like a blockbuster. The entrance is dramatic, the theming is massive, and it’s positioned like a significant experience that should pull crowds all day long.
But the ride’s ongoing issues have started overshadowing everything else.
Over the course of one month, Skull Island: Reign of Kong reportedly shut down almost 100 times. That’s an incredible number for any attraction, especially one meant to be a reliable crowd-eater.
Guests have been describing the same frustrating pattern. The ride appears open, the wait time pops up, people enter the queue, and then suddenly the attraction shuts down. Sometimes it comes back quickly. Other times, guests wait around long enough to give up and walk away.
At this point, the downtime isn’t just happening occasionally. It’s becoming part of what the ride is known for.
A Ride Like This Takes Up Too Much Space to Struggle
One of the biggest issues for Universal is the sheer size of Kong. This isn’t a small attraction tucked away somewhere. It takes up a major chunk of Islands of Adventure.
And when it goes down repeatedly, it creates real problems. Crowds build up in the area, walkways get clogged, and Team Members have to manage closures and reopenings constantly.
Instead of helping the park handle demand, the ride begins to add stress to operations. Universal needs attractions that move large groups efficiently, not rides that repeatedly stop and restart throughout the day.
That’s when fans begin wondering if Universal could eventually decide the attraction isn’t worth the trouble.
Jurassic Park River Adventure Closure Adds More Fuel
At the same time Kong has been struggling, Jurassic Park River Adventure has also been closed. That closure has sparked speculation that Universal could be planning bigger changes in that section of Islands of Adventure, possibly even shifting the ride further toward Jurassic World branding.
Those rumors aren’t new, but every extended closure makes them louder.
And since Skull Island sits right next to Jurassic Park, fans can’t help but connect the dots. If Universal ever wanted to expand that area or add something new, Kong’s footprint could be a valuable space.
Universal May Have a Bigger Decision Ahead
Universal hasn’t announced any plans to remove Skull Island: Reign of Kong, but the ongoing downtime is hard to ignore. If the attraction continues shutting down at this pace, it’s easy to see why guests are starting to question whether it has a long-term future.
Because in a park built on smooth operations and big thrills, the one thing Universal can’t afford is a ride that feels broken more often than it feels alive.
