Universal Studios Hollywood has finally locked in a launch date for its most anticipated new ride in years: Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift officially opens on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The date ends weeks of guesswork after the coaster spent all of August running on and off during technical rehearsals, with Universal confirming the grand-opening date on August 31, 2026.
If you’ve been tracking whether the ride is open, whether it’s the same attraction planned for Universal Orlando, or exactly how fast and long the coaster actually is, here’s the complete, current answer, plus what to expect if you’re visiting Universal Studios Hollywood before or after opening day.
Quick Answer
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift’s grand opening is confirmed for Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. Universal announced the date on August 31, 2026, after technical rehearsals that began July 27, 2026. As of early September 2026, the ride is not yet running on a guaranteed daily schedule — it’s still finishing its pre-opening testing window — but a firm public debut date is now locked in.
Is the Fast & Furious Ride Open Right Now?
Not on a guaranteed schedule, at least not until September 16. Since late July, Hollywood Drift has been in technical rehearsals, meaning Universal runs it for real park guests on a day-to-day basis to test ride systems, train operators, and work out queue flow, without any promise the ride will run for a full day or at all. That intermittent pattern is expected to continue right up until opening day.
Once September 16 arrives, Hollywood Drift moves onto Universal Studios Hollywood’s regular daily operating schedule alongside the park’s other attractions, meaning it should run for the park’s full operating hours rather than on and off. Universal hasn’t indicated any further delay to that date as of this writing, but as with any new coaster, check the official Universal Studios Hollywood app on the day of your visit for the ride’s live status, since even after opening, brand-new attractions occasionally have unplanned downtime.
The Exact Opening Date: September 16, 2026
After nearly six weeks of unannounced testing and no firm date beyond a vague ‘Opening Summer 2026’ listing in the Universal app, Universal Studios Hollywood confirmed on August 31, 2026 that Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift’s grand opening is Wednesday, September 16, 2026. That makes it an early-fall debut rather than a summer one, despite the ride’s original ‘Summer 2026’ target and its July 27 rehearsal start.
The roughly seven-week gap between the rehearsal start and the confirmed opening is in line with how Universal has rolled out other major coasters, using the intervening period to resolve the mechanical and operational issues — plus, in this case, community noise complaints from testing near the neighboring Toluca Lake area — that typically surface during a new ride’s first weeks of running.
What Is a Soft Opening (and Why It Mattered Here)
A soft opening, also called a technical rehearsal, is when a park quietly runs a new ride for paying guests ahead of its official debut, using that stretch to test reliability, train staff, and refine crowd flow without the marketing push or guaranteed uptime of a grand opening. For guests during this window, a running ride was a bonus, not a promise: it could operate for hours one day and sit closed the next, with elements like on-ride audio still unfinished.
Hollywood Drift’s rehearsal period ran from July 27, 2026 through mid-September, during which wait times were reported at up to several hours on operating days, with Single Rider and Universal Express access available. That period is now effectively winding down with the September 16 grand-opening date locked in.
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 former sites of the Animal Actors stage and the Special Effects Show, both of which permanently closed in January 2023 to make way for the new coaster.
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 around 2027. The two will be distinct installations at different resorts, so if you’re asking whether ‘the’ Fast & Furious ride is in California, the answer is yes — the only version currently built and opening in 2026 is the Hollywood one.
Ride Details: Speed, Length, Cars, 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, and it’s billed as the fastest roller coaster in Universal’s global portfolio.
The ride’s signature feature is its individually rotating vehicles, modeled after cars from the film franchise: a 900-horsepower 1970 Dodge Charger inspired by Dominic Toretto’s car, a Mazda RX-7 inspired by Han Seoul-oh’s, a Nissan Skyline GT-R inspired by Brian O’Conner’s, and a Toyota Supra inspired by Brian’s earlier ’10-second car.’ The 360-degree rotation is 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 faced construction delays and noise complaints from neighboring residents during testing in the months leading up to its July 2026 rehearsals.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets & Parking
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is included with standard Universal Studios Hollywood admission — there’s no separate ticket or upcharge to ride it once it’s open, though Universal Express passes (sold as an add-on or bundled into higher ticket tiers) can cut down wait times on a new, high-demand ride. General park hours typically run in the 8 a.m.-to-10 p.m. range depending on the day and season, with extended hours common in summer and around holidays.
Parking is available on-site at the CityWalk structure, with standard and preferred (closer-in) options priced separately from admission. Because ticket tiers, hours, and parking rates shift by season — and can change again once Hollywood Drift’s grand opening drives up demand — check the official Universal Studios Hollywood site for current hours, ticket prices, and parking details before you go, rather than relying on older coverage.
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 the exact layout could differ once more details are announced.
fast and furious hollywood drift opening date FAQs
Is Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift open?
Not full-time yet. It’s been running intermittently during technical rehearsals since July 27, 2026, and its confirmed grand-opening date is Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
What is the exact opening date for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift?
Wednesday, September 16, 2026, as announced by Universal Studios Hollywood on August 31, 2026.
Is the Fast & Furious ride at Universal Studios Hollywood open right now?
As of early September 2026, it’s still in technical rehearsals, so it isn’t guaranteed to run every day until its September 16, 2026 grand opening. Check the Universal Studios Hollywood app for same-day status.
Is this the same Fast & Furious ride planned for Universal Orlando?
No. Hollywood Drift is a standalone attraction exclusive to Universal Studios Hollywood. A separate, similarly themed coaster is planned for Universal Studios Florida around 2027, replacing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.
How fast is Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift and what makes it different?
It’s a steel spinning launch coaster reaching 72 mph across roughly 4,100 feet of track with four inversions, using individually rotating vehicles modeled on the Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and Toyota Supra to simulate the sensation of drifting.
Do I need a separate ticket to ride Hollywood Drift?
No. It’s included with regular Universal Studios Hollywood admission, though Universal Express passes can reduce wait times on the new ride.
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