We’re excited to share the news that “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” opens on Wednesday, September 16 at Universal Studios Hollywood! I was lucky enough to attend a passholder preview of it last month, and it was SUCH A WILD RIDE. I sat in the 3rd car, modeled after Brian O’Conner’s blue Nissan Skyline GT-R. The ride was intense but in a thrilling (versus terrifying, for me at least) way. It was hard to gauge where you were going with all the drifting, which made it that much crazier. The seats felt very secure while still being comfortable. It felt slightly unhinged to do all of the twists, turns, and flips without over-the-shoulder restraints, but that also added a lot to the excitement. 9.5/10 coaster for me – 10 would be spooky-themed, but in all seriousness, I will go out of my way to ride this again and again.
Universal Studios Hollywood is redefining the thrill ride experience with Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, an all-new high-speed roller coaster located on the park’s Upper Lot. Housed in an expansive red brick-garage structure featuring a custom mural by artist Tristan Eaton and photo-op prop cars, the coaster immerses guests in the edge-of-your-seat driving spectacle of the hit film franchise. Riders will buckle into vehicles modeled after iconic Fast Saga cars (the Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and Toyota Supra) complete with fully independent audio systems playing true-to-type engine sounds tailored to each individual ride vehicle.
Located on the Upper Lot and utilizing Universal’s natural hillside terrain, this ride gives you panoramic views of the San Fernando Valley and movie studio lot from an entirely new perspective. Featuring a unique dual-launching, split-ride track, trains propel thrill-seekers through four spectacular launches, an inverted dive loop, a twisted pretzel loop, and an inverted stall. Reaching speeds of up to 72 MPH and pulling up to 3.6 Gs, each ride vehicle is independently programmed to spin and drift a full 360 degrees, offering four distinct, adrenaline-pumping experiences depending on where you are seated.
In addition to the ride itself, I was very impressed with the attention to detail in the queue. A portion of the “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” ride track races through a transparent, encased section of the queue, zipping right past you as you anticipate your turn. The rest of the queue environment is filled with recreated props from the Fast Saga films. Select displays featured QR codes for additional behind‑the‑scenes insights and context about the displays. The QR code opens to Universal Studios’ “Backlot Club.” From there you can either create a new account or login to enjoy the BTS details for these displays.
Highlights of the props include:
- Car Cannon, featuring the car driven by Brian O’Conner in Fast & Furious 6
- Roll Cage and Winch, featuring the 2010 Dodge Charger SRT8, driven by Dom Toretto, in Fast 5
- Vault Truck, as featured in Fast 5
- Motorcycle, as featured in F9, driven by Letty Ortiz
- NOS System and Dodge Charger Engine, a recreation of the internal NOS operating system for the modified Fast & Furious ride vehicles in the films
- Ramp Car, driven by Owen Shaw in Fast & Furious 6
- Rolling Bomb, as featured in Fast X
- Rollover Stunt Rig, a recreation of the rollover stunt rigging system used in the Fast & Furious films
Due to the dynamics of the roller coaster, guests will be required to place all belongings in complimentary lockers, located within the queue area, and pass through metal detection.
For more information about Universal Studios Hollywood, visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.