Universal Studios Hollywood will open its first outdoor, high-speed roller coaster Sept. 16, marking what park officials call an unprecedented addition to the theme park’s decades-long history of attractions.
“Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” is billed as the fastest coaster in the Universal Destinations & Experiences portfolio. The ride draws on Universal Pictures’ Fast & Furious franchise, an 11-film series worth $7 billion that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The franchise’s next installment, “Fast Forever,” is scheduled for release in March 2028.
The coaster is on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood, housed within a red brick garage-like structure. Two stationary replica cars serve as photo props outside the entrance, and guests pass through an archway into the queue.
A segment of the ride’s track passes through a transparent, encased section of the queue — a feature the park says is a technological first — allowing waiting guests to watch trains in motion before boarding.
The ride features a dual-launching, split-track system that alternates trains from the dispatch point. Riders travel over and under the park’s multilevel Starway escalator through four launches, an inverted dive loop, a twisted pretzel loop and an inverted stall, among other elements. The coaster reaches speeds up to 72 mph and forces up to 3.6 Gs along 4,100 feet of track built with sound-reduction technology. Ride vehicles rotate 360 degrees independently throughout the course.
Riders are secured with lap-bar harnesses in one of four vehicles modeled after cars from the film franchise: a Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Toyota Supra. Each vehicle has an independent audio system with engine sounds specific to that car, and because vehicles rotate independently, the experience varies by seat.
The arrival platform features a large-scale mural by artist Tristan Eaton depicting the street-racing finale from the original 2001 film “The Fast and the Furious.” A second Eaton mural appears in the queue, paying tribute to the franchise as a whole.
Universal Creative designers incorporated the site’s hillside terrain into the coaster’s structure, using the natural landscape as a structural base. The design offers views of the San Fernando Valley, the Universal Studios backlot and the park below.
The queue also includes recreated props from the film series: a car cannon from “Fast & Furious 6,” a roll cage and winch from “Fast Five,” a vault truck also from “Fast Five,” a motorcycle from “F9,” a NOS engine display, a ramp car from “Fast & Furious 6,” a “rolling bomb” from “Fast X” and a rollover stunt rig. Some displays include QR codes linking to behind-the-scenes content through the park’s Backlot Club fan platform, which requires an account login.
Because of the ride’s mechanics, guests must store all belongings, including phones, in complimentary lockers before passing through metal detection to reach the boarding platform.
The coaster joins the park’s existing lineup of attractions, including Super Nintendo World and its Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge ride, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic World — The Ride, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, The Simpsons Ride, Transformers: The Ride-3D, Revenge of the Mummy and the Studio Tour.
More information is available at UniversalStudiosHollywood.com.