Fast & Furious Ride Opening Date Finally Set At Universal Studios Hollywood
After a summer of clamor by fans waiting for the new, groundbreaking Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster to open, Universal Studios Hollywood has finally set a date.
The ride got its own Super Bowl commercial earlier this year where it was revealed that fans would be able to rocket along at 72 mph in “Summer 2026.” Then came noise complaints from neighbors about the innovative coaster, which stretches down a terraced hillside on the steep Universal Studios lot.
Park officials addressed those issues by installing transparent sound-reduction barriers along portions of the ride. Now, after months of anticipation, Universal Studios Hollywood is set to make good on that “Summer 2026” promise — just under the wire. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will open on September 16, less than a week before the start of fall. It will, by all accounts, be worth the wait.
Set in a superbly-themed warehouse garage reminiscent of the films, the already well-tested Hollywood Drift rockets riders along 4,100 feet of elaborate aerial track while they drift at up to 360-degrees in individually-themed ride vehicles at forces of up to 3.6 Gs. See video of the ride being tested here.
See more of it in the new TV spot announcing the opening date below.
Riders will be strapped into one of four iconic Fast Saga ride vehicles: Dom Toretto’s the Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Brian O’Conner’s Toyota Supra — each modeled after the cars driven by favorite Fast characters in the film series.
The arrival platform will be anchored by an original, giant mural created by artist Tristan Eaton which depicts the final street racing action scene in the very first Fast film, 2001’s The Fast and the Furious. The mural portrays the aerial-bound Dodge Charger and Toyota Supra vehicles racing against a speeding train.
The pre-ride theming includes other elements to keep guests entertained while in line. The environment is filled with recreated props from the Fast Saga films. Displays will feature QR codes that open up additional behind‑the‑scenes insights and context about the displays. Those codes are powered Universal Studios’ fan engagement site, the Backlot Club.
Highlights of the props include:
o Car Cannon, featuring the car driven by O’Conner in Fast & Furious 6
o Roll Cage and Winch, featuring the 2010 Dodge Charger SRT8, driven by Toretto, in Fast 5
o Vault Truck, as featured in Fast 5
o Motorcycle, as featured in F9, driven by Letty Ortiz
o NOS System and Dodge Charger Engine, a recreation of the internal NOS operating system for the modified Fast & Furious ride vehicles in the films
o Ramp Car, driven by Owen Shaw in Fast & Furious 6
o Rolling Bomb, as featured in Fast X
o Rollover Stunt Rig, a recreation of the rollover stunt rigging system used in the Fast & Furious films
What’s more, a portion of the ride track will race through a transparently encased section of the queue.
Universal Orlando Resort will get its very own Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster in 2027.
