I was told it’s been pulled out for this year.
EDIT to add -
Universal has the luxury of using the vortex when they feel they need to. A lot of smaller events (including Howl-o-scream) design to use their vortexes every year because it’s an easy effect they want to get their money out of. A vortex purchase can take a good chunk out of those events’ budgets. It’s a drop in the bucket for Universal, that they got their money’s worth out of decades ago.
The vortex they used in 26, is the same vortex they used in 22, and 20, and 12. To my knowledge, Universal has never had to replace the hardware. They simply design and purchase skins for whatever they’re looking to do.