Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift Officially Opens at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood has officially opened its highly anticipated new outdoor roller coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, bringing a brand-new high-speed thrill ride to the Upper Lot.

Featuring a striking design and cutting-edge ride technology, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is the fastest roller coaster in the Universal Destinations & Experiences portfolio, reaching speeds of up to 72 mph. The attraction combines the speed, adrenaline, and high-octane action of Universal Pictures’ blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise with an innovative coaster experience unlike anything previously offered at the park.

The opening comes as the Fast & Furious franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary. With 11 films already released and the upcoming Fast Forever scheduled to race into theaters in March 2028, the franchise’s focus on street racing, fast cars, and spectacular driving sequences makes it a natural fit for Universal Studios Hollywood.

“Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” is officially open, and we are so excited to be able to put guests in the driver’s seat of one of the most celebrated film franchises in history,” said Scott Strobl, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Universal Studios Hollywood. “The debut of this first-of-its-kind roller coaster is a literal game changer for Universal Studios Hollywood, and we look forward to sharing this thrilling experience with fans of the Fast Saga and our guests visiting from around the world.”

A High-Speed Ride Through the Fast Saga

Located on the Upper Lot, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is housed within an expansive red-brick, garage-inspired structure. Two stationary replica vehicles greet guests outside the attraction before they enter the queue through a large entry archway.

One of the attraction’s most distinctive features can be seen almost immediately. A portion of the coaster track passes through a transparent, enclosed section of the queue, giving guests an up-close look at the trains racing by while building anticipation for their own ride.

The coaster utilizes a dual-launching, split-track system, with trains alternating between the two tracks. Riders are propelled through an action-packed course featuring four launches, an inverted dive loop, a twisted pretzel loop, and an inverted stall.

The 4,100 feet of aerial track reaches speeds of up to 72 mph and forces of up to 3.6 Gs, while the ride vehicles can rotate a full 360 degrees as they navigate the course.

The coaster also incorporates sound-reduction technology designed to help minimize the impact of the attraction’s high-speed operation on the surrounding area.

Choose Your Ride Vehicle

Guests don’t simply board a traditional coaster train. Instead, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift places riders inside one of four iconic vehicles inspired by cars featured throughout the film franchise:

• Dodge Charger
• Mazda RX-7
• Nissan Skyline GT-R
• Toyota Supra

Each vehicle is modeled after cars associated with characters from the Fast & Furious films and features its own independent audio system. Riders hear engine and sound effects specifically matched to the vehicle they’re riding.

The vehicles are also fully rotational and independently programmed, meaning the cars can drift and rotate during the ride. As a result, the experience can vary depending on which vehicle guests board.

A Ride Built Into the Hollywood Hills

Universal Creative also took advantage of the unique terrain surrounding Universal Studios Hollywood when designing the attraction.

With space at a premium at the Hollywood theme park, the coaster was built into the existing hillside, using the natural contours of the terrain as part of its structural foundation. The elevated layout also gives riders sweeping views of the San Fernando Valley, Universal’s movie studio and Universal Studios Hollywood.

The result is a coaster that combines the thrills of Fast & Furious with a ride experience that takes advantage of the park’s distinctive hillside location.

Fast & Furious Props Fill the Queue

The attraction’s queue is designed to feel like an extension of the Fast & Furious universe, featuring recreated props and vehicles from throughout the film franchise.

Several displays include QR codes that guests can scan to access additional behind-the-scenes information through Universal Studios’ Backlot Club fan engagement platform.

Among the props featured throughout the queue are:

• Car Cannon, featuring the car driven by Brian O’Conner in Fast & Furious 6
• Roll Cage and Winch, featuring Dom Toretto’s 2010 Dodge Charger SRT8 from Fast Five
• Vault Truck, as featured in Fast Five
• Motorcycle, as featured in F9 and driven by Letty Ortiz
• NOS System and Dodge Charger Engine, recreating the internal NOS operating system associated with the modified Fast & Furious vehicles
• Ramp Car, driven by Owen Shaw in Fast & Furious 6
• Rolling Bomb, featured in Fast X
• Rollover Stunt Rig, recreating the stunt rigging system used in the Fast & Furious films

The arrival platform is also home to a large-scale original mural by internationally recognized artist Tristan Eaton. The artwork depicts the climactic street-racing sequence from 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, featuring the Dodge Charger and Toyota Supra racing alongside a speeding train.

Another Eaton mural appears within the queue and pays tribute to the Fast & Furious franchise as a whole.

Complimentary Lockers Required

Because of the coaster’s high-speed and rotating ride vehicles, guests are required to store all loose belongings in complimentary lockers located within the queue area.

Guests must also pass through metal detection before reaching the ride platform. This ensures items such as mobile phones and other loose articles are securely stored before boarding.

A New Thrill for Universal Studios Hollywood

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift represents another major addition to Universal Studios Hollywood’s lineup of movie-inspired attractions and showcases Universal Destinations & Experiences’ continued investment in innovative coaster technology.

By combining the recognizable cars and characters of the Fast & Furious franchise with high-speed launches, rotating ride vehicles, inversions, and expansive views across Southern California, the new attraction brings the franchise’s signature street-racing action to life in a completely new way.

For fans of the Fast & Furious films and thrill-seekers visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, Hollywood Drift officially puts guests in the driver’s seat.

Clint Gamache

Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83