Universal Studio Hollywood Announces Opening Date For Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift

Universal Studios Hollywood is ready to put the pedal to the metal. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift officially opens Wednesday, September 16, bringing the theme park’s first outdoor, high-speed roller coaster to the Upper Lot.

Inspired by Universal Pictures’ blockbuster Fast & Furious franchise, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the new coaster combines high-speed thrills, cutting-edge technology and the street-racing excitement that has defined the film series.

The coaster will reach speeds of up to 72 mph and deliver forces of up to 3.6 Gs along approximately 4,100 feet of track. Riders will experience four launches along with elements including an inverted dive loop, pretzel loop and inverted stall.

One of the ride’s biggest innovations is its 360-degree rotating ride vehicles, which independently drift throughout the experience. Guests will ride in one of four iconic vehicles inspired by the films: the Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R or Toyota Supra. Each vehicle also features its own independent audio system with engine and sound effects.

The coaster uses a unique dual-launching, split-track system, allowing trains to alternate from dispatch while sending riders over and under portions of Universal Studios Hollywood’s multilevel Starway escalator.

Immersive Fast & Furious Details

The ride’s queue is designed to feel like a journey through the world of the Fast & Furious films. Guests will encounter recreated props and vehicles from across the franchise, with select displays featuring QR codes offering additional behind-the-scenes information through Universal’s Backlot Club.

Among the featured props are the Vault Truck from Fast Five, the 2010 Dodge Charger SRT8, Letty’s motorcycle from F9, the Rolling Bomb from Fast X, and stunt equipment recreated from the film series.

The attraction will also feature original artwork from renowned artist Tristan Eaton, including a large mural depicting the iconic street-racing finale from 2001’s The Fast and the Furious.

Another notable feature is the coaster’s location. Universal Creative incorporated the natural hillside terrain into the attraction’s design, giving riders panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley, Universal’s movie studio, and the theme park.

Because of the coaster’s high-speed and rotating ride vehicles, guests will be required to secure loose belongings in complimentary lockers located within the queue. Guests must also pass through metal detection before reaching the ride platform.

With its combination of speed, technology, and immersive storytelling, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift represents one of the biggest additions in Universal Studios Hollywood’s history and adds a major new thrill ride to the park’s lineup.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift opens September 16, 2026, at Universal Studios Hollywood.

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