Universal Studios Hollywood has long been scheduled to have a larger theme park opening in 2026 with its new high-speed roller coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. But without an officially announced opening date, questions have begun to intensify and rumors have begun to surface about what may be causing the park to remain silent on what is expected to be its central attraction.
According to Universal, there is no cause for concern.
However, speculation has focused on possible roller coaster noise as a problem for residents near Toluca Lake. The rumors were fueled Friday when Fox 11 Los Angeles reported, via a since-deleted post on social media site X, that the opening of Hollywood Drift had been delayed at least until the end of the year due to complaints from neighbors. Videos of roller coaster riders' audible screams have gone viral in recent weeks.
A Universal spokesperson said reports that the coaster's opening has been postponed until late 2026 “are not accurate” and disputed the idea that the coaster has been delayed. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the spokesperson said, is still scheduled to be released before the end of summer.
“We hope to announce an opening date soon,” reads an official statement from the company. “The information online is incorrect.”
The summer season lasts until the end of September. The park begins its popular fall Halloween Horror Nights on September 3. Tickets for the latter are currently on sale, with Universal promising access to Hollywood Drift for those who purchase its express skip-the-line pass, which starts at $259.
Sources familiar with the coaster's operations have also disputed the idea that noise is the reason the coaster has not yet opened, pointing instead to more routine mechanical problems that have arisen during its testing and adjustment phase. However, one theme park expert emphasized that when Hollywood Drift opens its doors, it will likely be considered one of the “5 or 10 best roller coasters in the world.”
The view of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is unique because it is a 72 mph ride with vehicles created to spin 360 degrees through multiple inversions. Designed to mimic the feel of stunt cars, their four-seat vehicles will twist and turn across the slopes of the track in an effort to create a drifting sensation.
Universal's own website earlier this summer posted June 26 as the opening date, and while that was the intended release date, the date was quickly removed from the site. Universal began hosting media for roller coaster rides in May.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has been more than a decade in the making. Essentially built on a cliff between the park's upper and lower lots, the attraction's existence is a feat of engineering, and Universal has described it as one of the most intense attractions in its global park portfolio.
Before moving the land, Universal began a series of tests to track how noise would spread through the surrounding neighborhood. Universal placed speakers in the old special effects and stunt buildings to watch the attractions' screams travel down the hill.
Ultimately, the tracks would be complemented by multiple sound walls and shields, the latter clear structures designed to block roller coaster noises and audience screams. And because the cars can rotate 360 degrees, Universal can, in theory, direct passengers' screams away from the studio below and the nearby neighborhood. The actual track has been filled with gravel, designed to minimize noise from reverberations.
“It's incredibly quiet,” said Jon Corfino, creative director of Universal Studios Hollywood. “We were able to do it by putting materials inside parts of the track to deaden the sound. I'm not sure we would have needed it, but it was important to do the right thing. It's gravel and rocks. It's quieter than I ever thought it would be.”
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift isn't the only notable roller coaster opening in Southern California this year. Buena Park's Knott's Berry Farm initially intended to release its reimagined Montezooma's Revenge, now known as Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress, on Monday. Last night, the park indefinitely delayed its public opening, with a spokesperson citing additional adjustments that emerged during its final days of testing.
The delay is not expected to be long.
“We appreciate everyone's understanding and look forward to welcoming media and visitors in the coming days, when we can display the attraction exactly as expected,” read a statement from the park. Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress has been in development for the past four years.
