Universal Studios Hollywood Sets Summer Opening for “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” Coaster

Vin Diesel, a longtime parks collaborator and Fast & Furious producer-star, narrates the new 30-second spot.

Universal Studios Hollywood is hitting the gas this summer as the theme park announced that “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift,” its first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, will open this summer and drop guests straight into Universal Pictures’ high-octane Fast & Furious universe.

A coaster built to feel like drifting at speed

Universal Studios Hollywood is building the attraction on the park’s Upper Lot inside a massive, red-brick, garage-like show building. From there, riders will launch into a layout that blends speed, height, and motion meant to mimic cars sliding through corners.

The big hook is the ride system. “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” will use 360-degree rotation technology on the ride vehicles to sell the sensation of drifting while guests spin through the course at speeds up to 72 mph.

Universal also put real scale behind the headline. The coaster will race along 4,100 feet of aerial track, which the company equates to nearly 12 football fields. The track will weave over parts of the theme park, including the multi-level Starway escalator that links the Upper and Lower Lots.

Timed with the franchise’s next big milestone

Universal is pairing the coaster’s debut with a major moment for the brand. The park says the attraction’s opening aligns with Universal Pictures kicking off the 25th anniversary of the Fast & Furious franchise, which has become the studio’s longest-running and most profitable series.

That long runway continues on the film side, too. Universal has announced the final theatrical release in the main saga, titled “Fast Forever,” set for March 17, 2028.

Where it fits inside Universal Studios Hollywood’s lineup

Universal is positioning “Hollywood Drift” as the next tentpole in a park that has leaned hard into blockbuster-driven attractions.

The coaster joins a roster that already includes Super Nintendo World with “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” “Jurassic World—The Ride,” “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash,” “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” Springfield, U.S.A., with “The Simpsons Ride,” “Transformers: The Ride-3D” and “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride,” plus the signature Studio Tour. Check out our latest park guide and review from our recent visit here.

Universal also framed the new coaster as the result of decades of roller coaster development experience across Universal Destinations & Experiences’ global parks, with “Hollywood Drift” aiming to push that design playbook into something that feels like street racing.

The Fast & Furious saga

Universal’s Fast & Furious saga spans 11 films and has earned more than $7 billion at the global box office, according to the studio’s franchise summary. The series has expanded into toys, video games, an animated series, and the hit spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw.” The most recent main entry, “Fast X,” opened in theaters in May 2023, with the finale hitting theaters in 2028.

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