Universal Studios Hollywood’s long-awaited Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift began technical rehearsals on Monday, July 27, 2026, giving park guests their first chance to ride the attraction ahead of its official grand opening. The soft opening was confirmed by multiple outlets, including WDW News Today, Inside Universal, and Time Out Los Angeles, after guests reported riding the coaster during testing.
If you’re trying to figure out whether you can actually ride it on your next trip — or whether “Hollywood Drift” is even the same ride you’ve heard about from Orlando — here’s the direct, up-to-date answer, plus everything else you need to plan around it.
Quick Answer
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California — not Florida. As of early August 2026 it is not officially open: it’s running intermittently for guests during technical rehearsals that began July 27, 2026, and Universal has not announced a confirmed grand-opening date. Ride availability can change day to day, so check the Universal Studios Hollywood app before you go.
Is the Fast & Furious Ride Open Right Now?
Not in the traditional sense. Hollywood Drift is in a “technical rehearsal” period, a pre-opening testing phase during which Universal runs the ride for real guests to work out mechanical, operational, and staffing kinks before committing to a public grand opening. That means the ride can run for hours on some days and sit closed on others, elements like on-ride audio may not be finished, and the attraction can shut down without notice.
The ride was also added to the official Universal Studios Hollywood app in late July, listed as “Opening Summer 2026” without a specific date. Wait times during rehearsals have been long — reported at up to several hours — with Single Rider and Express access available on operating days. Universal is expected to share an update on the ride’s status around August 7, 2026, following renewed attention to noise from testing affecting the neighboring Toluca Lake community.
What Is a Soft Opening (and Why It Matters Here)
A soft opening — also called a technical rehearsal or preview period — is when a theme park quietly runs a new attraction for real visitors before its official grand opening. Parks use this stage to test ride reliability, train operators, and work out queue and crowd flow under real conditions, without the marketing push, ceremony, or guaranteed uptime of a true opening day.
For guests, the key distinction is that a soft-opened ride is a bonus, not a promise. It might run all day, run for an hour, or not run at all, and none of that is publicized in advance. Once a park is satisfied with reliability, it schedules a grand opening with a confirmed date, and from that point the ride is expected to operate on its normal daily schedule.
Where It Is: California, Not Florida
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is exclusive to Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California, at least for now. It sits in the park’s Upper Lot, built on the footprint of former Studio Tour and backlot attractions, including the old Fast & Furious – Supercharged tram segment.
A separate, similarly themed coaster is planned for Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, where it will replace Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and is targeted to open in 2027. The two will be distinct installations at different resorts — if you’re asking whether “the” Fast & Furious ride is in California, the answer right now is yes, the only one currently under construction and testing is the Hollywood version.
Ride Details: Speed, Length, and What Makes It New
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is a steel spinning launch coaster manufactured by Intamin. It sends individually rotating vehicles up to 72 mph across roughly 4,100 feet of track winding through the park’s Upper Lot, including sections that pass above and below the Starway escalators connecting the Upper and Lower Lots. The layout includes four inversions.
It’s billed as the fastest roller coaster in Universal’s global portfolio, surpassing other recent Universal launches. The individually rotating cars are the ride’s signature feature, designed to simulate the sensation of drifting as riders launch through the park at speed. The project was first confirmed in July 2023 and officially named in 2024, and it has faced construction delays and noise complaints from neighboring residents during testing in the months leading up to the July 2026 rehearsals.
Planning Your Visit
Because Hollywood Drift is still in rehearsals rather than officially open, don’t plan a trip around guaranteed ride time. Check the Universal Studios Hollywood app on the day of your visit for the ride’s current operating status, standby wait, and single-rider availability rather than relying on older news coverage.
General park hours, ticket tiers, and parking options follow Universal Studios Hollywood’s normal seasonal patterns, with hours typically extending during summer and holiday periods and multiple ticket levels (including options that add Universal Express skip-the-line access). For current hours, ticket prices, and parking details, check the official Universal Studios Hollywood site before you go, since these change by season and can shift again once Hollywood Drift gets its grand opening.
Coming to Other Universal Parks
For coaster enthusiasts, Hollywood Drift’s debut is notable beyond Los Angeles: a second version is already planned for Universal Studios Florida, where it will replace Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, extending the ride concept to Universal’s Orlando resort with a targeted 2027 opening. That version will be a separate build, not a transplant of the Hollywood ride, so specifics like exact layout could differ once more details are released.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift ride status FAQs
Is the Fast & Furious ride at Universal Studios Hollywood open?
Not officially. As of early August 2026, it’s operating intermittently for guests during technical rehearsals that began July 27, 2026. There’s no confirmed grand-opening date yet, so availability can vary day to day — check the Universal Studios Hollywood app before visiting.
Is the new Fast & Furious ride in California?
Yes. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is located at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. A separate version is planned for Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, targeted for 2027, but that installation hasn’t been built yet.
What is a soft opening?
A soft opening (or technical rehearsal) is a testing period where a park runs a new attraction for real guests before its official grand opening, to check reliability and train staff. The ride isn’t guaranteed to operate on any given day during this phase, unlike after a confirmed grand opening.
What is the new Fast & Furious ride called and how fast does it go?
It’s called Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, an Intamin steel spinning launch coaster that reaches up to 72 mph across about 4,100 feet of track with four inversions, making it the fastest roller coaster in Universal’s global park portfolio.
When will Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift officially open?
Universal has not announced an official opening date. The ride has been in technical rehearsals since July 27, 2026, and Universal was expected to provide an update around August 7, 2026, but a firm grand-opening date has not been confirmed.
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