'Fast & Furious' coaster is not delayed by 'noise complaints,' Universal Studios says

Universal Studios Hollywood has agelong been slated to person the biggest taxable parkland opening of 2026 with its caller high-speed coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. But with nary officially announced opening date, questions person started to intensify and rumors person begun to swirl arsenic to what whitethorn beryllium causing the parkland to spell vigor soundless connected what is expected to beryllium its centerpiece attraction.

According to Universal, determination is nary request for concern.

Yet speculation has zeroed successful connected the imaginable sound of the coaster arsenic being a occupation for residents of the adjacent of Toluca Lake. Rumors were fueled Friday by Fox 11 Los Angeles reporting, via a since-deleted station connected societal media web X that Hollywood Drift’s opening had been delayed astatine slightest until the extremity of twelvemonth owed to vicinity complaints. Videos of audible screams of riders connected the coaster person gone viral successful caller weeks.

A spokesperson for Universal said reports that the coaster’s opening is postponed until the extremity of 2026 are “not accurate” and disputed the conception that the coaster has been delayed. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the spokesperson said, is inactive connected people to unfastened earlier the extremity of summer.

“We expect to denote an opening day soon,” work an authoritative connection from the company. “The accusation online is incorrect.”

The summertime play lasts done the extremity of September. The parkland begins its fashionable autumn Halloween Horror Nights connected Sept. 3. Tickets for the second are presently connected sale, and Universal is promising entree to Hollywood Drift for those who acquisition its line-skipping explicit pass, which starts astatine $259.

Sources acquainted with the coaster’s operations person besides disputed the conception that sound is simply a origin for the coaster having not yet opened, alternatively pointing to much regular mechanical issues that person arisen during its trial and accommodation phase. One taxable parkland insider, however, stressed that erstwhile Hollywood Drift does open, it volition apt beryllium a considered a “top-5, oregon top-10 coaster, successful the world.”

The presumption of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift from Universal Studios Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is unsocial successful that it is simply a 72 mph thrust with vehicles created to rotate 360 degrees done aggregate inversions. Designed to mimic the consciousness of stunt cars, its four-seated vehicles volition twist and crook done banks successful the way successful an effort to make a drifting sensation.

Universal’s ain website earlier this summertime posted June 26 arsenic an opening date, and portion that was erstwhile the targeted launch, the day was rapidly removed from the site. Universal began hosting media for walkthroughs of the coaster successful May.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has been successful the works for than a decade. Built fundamentally connected a cliff betwixt the park’s precocious and little lots, the ride’s beingness is simply a feat of engineering, and Universal has described it arsenic among the astir aggravated attractions successful its planetary parkland portfolio.

Before onshore was moved, Universal began a bid of tests to way however sound would question done the surrounding neighborhood. Universal placed speakers connected the aged peculiar effects and stunt buildings to spot however thrust screams traveled down the hill.

Ultimately, the tracks would beryllium complemented with aggregate dependable walls and shields, the second wide structures designed to artifact coaster rumbles and assemblage screams. And due to the fact that the cars tin rotate 360 degrees, Universal tin successful mentation nonstop rider yells distant from the workplace beneath and the vicinity nearby. The existent way has been filled with pea gravel, designed to minimize sound from immoderate reverberations.

“It’s incredibly quiet,” said Jon Corfino, the pb originative astatine Universal Studios Hollywood. “We were capable to bash that by putting materials wrong portions of the way to deaden the sound. I’m not definite we would person needed it, but it was important to bash the close thing. It’s pea gravel and rocks. It’s quieter than I ever thought it was going to be.”

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift isn’t the lone notable coaster slated to unfastened successful Southern California this year. Buena Park’s Knott’s Berry Farm initially intended to motorboat its reimagined Montezooma’s Revenge, present known arsenic Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress, connected Monday. Late past night, the parkland indefinitely delayed its nationalist unveiling, with a spokesperson citing further fine-tuning that surfaced during its last days of testing.

The hold is not expected to beryllium a prolonged one.

“We admit everyone’s knowing and look guardant to welcoming media and guests successful the coming days erstwhile we tin showcase the attraction precisely arsenic intended,” work a connection from the park. Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress has been successful improvement for the past 4 years.