Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift: Ride details, testing, opening timeline and more
Universal Studios Hollywood’s first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, will debut in summer 2026, or possibly later, based on reports of noise complaints.
By Jeff DePaoli & Samantha Davis-Friedman
Updated July 2026 to reflect current passenger testing and neighborhood noise concerns.
Above the noise
As Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift enters passenger testing ahead of its debut, the attraction is drawing attention from beyond the park. Some residents in the neighboring Toluca Lake community have told local media they can hear rider screams during testing, prompting renewed discussion about the coaster’s impact on nearby homes. Universal says the attraction remains in its testing and commissioning phase, including actively reviewing sound levels to ensure it operates in compliance while continuing to gather community feedback.
The reports have also raised questions about the coaster’s opening timeline, after one local television station suggested that additional noise mitigation could push the debut back into 2026. However, Universal has not publicly announced any delay.
Attractions Magazine received this statement.
“The coaster is currently in its testing and commissioning phase, which includes actively reviewing sound levels to ensure the coaster operates in compliance. Feedback from the community is an important part of this process, and we appreciate hearing from them.”
–Universal Studios Hollywood spokesperson
Comcast executives said attendance at Universal Studios Hollywood improved modestly during the second quarter. Still, they indicated they do not expect further improvement until Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift opens later this year.
Update (July 27): Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift began technical rehearsals today at Universal Studios Hollywood, with the roller coaster operating for guests ahead of its official grand opening.
While often referred to as a “soft opening,” technical rehearsals are trial operating periods in which an attraction welcomes guests while testing operations, with the understanding that hours, availability, and experiences may change without notice.
All Four Ride Vehicles Revealed
Universal Studios Hollywood has revealed its first look at all four ride vehicles included in its newest roller coaster. Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Toyota Supra join the Dodge Charger to complete the coaster car lineup.
When loading your ride vehicle, you’ll notice an original mural by world-renowned artist Tristan Eaton. The freehand, spray-painted mural displays the finale street racing scene from the original movie.
Prior to today’s soft opening, the attraction went through months of sporadic testing.
The soft opening of July 27, 2026 comes just 10 days after Universal disputed reports that the attraction’s debut had been pushed back because of ongoing noise concerns. While an official grand opening date has not yet been announced, today’s soft opening suggests those issues have not prevented the coaster from entering guest operations.
Take a look at the cars in action in our video below.
About Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift
The park’s new thrill ride located on the Upper Lot will feature “innovative and technological achievements never previously employed in a roller coaster,” including a state-of-the-art ride system to immerse guests in the high-speed world of the “Fast & Furious” movies and 360-degree rotation of individual ride vehicles creating what Universal describes as the “sensation of drifting cars as guests spin in motion at furiously fast speeds,” all while racing along 4,100 feet of aerial track with multiple inversions.
At 72 miles per hour, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will debut as “the fastest roller coaster in the Universal Destinations & Experiences portfolio,” surpassing VelociCoaster and Stardust Racers in Orlando.
“We are…excited to introduce such an inspiring new ride to our theme park portfolio,” said Universal Studios Hollywood’s Executive Vice President & General Manager Scott Strobl. “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will be a powerful game changer for Universal Studios Hollywood that will not only transform the topography of our destination but will infuse an entirely new level of adrenaline to our already dynamic theme park.”
Universal Studios Hollywood’s first high-speed, outdoor roller coaster
Unlike Universal Orlando Resort, which boasts an extensive roster of thrilling coasters, Universal Studios Hollywood currently only offers the family-friendly outdoor Flight of the Hippogriff and indoor Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride.
This is likely because the park is surrounded by homes and businesses (not to mention its own studio backlot where outdoor filming is common), making noise from screaming roller coaster riders an obvious reason the park has not built large-scale outdoor thrill rides before.
Photo courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood
However, as we reported in October 2023, Universal has committed to several noise-reducing measures for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift to reduce the impact on the community, including enclosing sections of the track to contain the sound, which we can see in new concept art.
The 2026 addition of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift follows the March 11, 2025, closure of the similarly themed Fast & Furious—Supercharged on the Universal Studio Tour, which we expect will be replaced with a new experience.
The excitement builds
Universal originally announced that Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will open this summer at its California theme park. While we wait for an official opening date, you can celebrate the Fast & Furious movies during Universal Mega Movie Summer.
Ahead of the grand opening, Universal has debuted a 30-second spot narrated by Fast & Furious star, Vin Diesel, which aired during the 2026 Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX, and the NBA All-Star Game on NBC and Peacock.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Fast & Furious franchise this year, with its final theatrical release, “Fast Forever,” slated for March 17, 2028.
You can see the new spot here:
When Dom’s Charger ride vehicle was revealed
As part of Universal Studios Hollywood’s new Universal Mega Movie Summer event in June 2025, Universal offered the first look at the all-new four-person ride vehicle modeled after Dom’s Charger from the blockbuster movie franchise.
The queue experience for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will take guests into a large, red brick garage-style structure where they’ll board the ride vehicles and be “catapulted” along a 4,100-foot aerial track that winds its way over parts of the theme park, including the multi-level “Starway” escalator that connects the Upper and Lower Lots.
Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort
First launch test in October 2025
In October 2025, Universal Studios Hollywood marked a significant milestone for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift by initiating its first launch.
During the test phase, the coaster train containing the attraction’s four ride vehicles representing iconic cars from the Fast & Furious films has been concealed—including Dom Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger revealed this summer—with the remaining three ride vehicles revealed at a later date.
Twice the Thrills
On Jan. 20, 2026, Universal Orlando Resort announced that Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will join the lineup at Universal Studios Florida in 2027, replacing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which closed Aug. 18, 2025.
The Orlando version will also feature 360-degree drifting, as well as a 170-foot vertical “spike” sending riders nearly 17 stories in the air over Universal CityWalk.
Just as it did in California, Fast & Furious – Supercharged at Universal Studios Florida will permanently close, with the last day of operation as Aug. 16, 2026.
Click here for more information about Universal Studios Hollywood.
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