Universal Studios Hollywood is heading into one of its most significant periods in years, with the park preparing to unveil its biggest new thrill ride in decades while continuing to build on the success of Super Nintendo World and its growing slate of seasonal events.

The biggest story right now is, without question, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.

After months of construction, testing, adjustments and delays, Universal has now confirmed that the new coaster will officially open to guests on 16th September 2026.

The attraction will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor high-speed roller coaster. It will reach speeds of up to 72 mph, with individual ride vehicles capable of rotating 360 degrees to create the sensation of drifting around the track. The ride’s roughly 4,100-foot course will travel through the park and hillside, making it unusually visible from several areas of the resort.

What makes the arrival particularly notable is that the coaster has already been through a lengthy period of testing and technical adjustments. Guests have even reported soft-opening activity during the summer, giving the first indication that the attraction was finally approaching the finish line.

Universal is also putting considerable effort into making the experience feel different from a conventional roller coaster. Rather than simply racing along a fixed track, the rotating cars are designed to give riders the impression that they are actually drifting through the course. Noise-reduction technology has also been incorporated into the attraction.

And the timing is significant. The attraction arrives as the Fast & Furious franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary, making Hollywood Drift something of a homecoming for the series in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the rest of Universal Hollywood remains centred around its major existing lands. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter continues to anchor the Upper Lot, while Super Nintendo World remains one of the park’s headline attractions, with Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge and its interactive Mushroom Kingdom experiences.

The park has also had a busy year on the entertainment front. Universal Fan Fest Nights returned in 2026 with experiences based around franchises including Harry Potter, Super Mario, One Piece, Scooby-Doo, Universal Monsters and Dungeons & Dragons.

But looking ahead, Hollywood Drift is clearly the centrepiece.

For Universal, the coaster represents more than another attraction. It signals an attempt to make the Hollywood park a stronger thrill-ride destination at a time when competition across Southern California’s theme-park market is intensifying.

There is also a broader expansion story developing around the resort. Project tracking indicates that Universal has been working towards additional development, including plans associated with a Universal Studios Hollywood hotel, although that project is considerably less immediate for guests than the coaster opening.

So, as of 4th September 2026, the situation at Universal Hollywood can essentially be summed up as a park in transition: Super Nintendo World and Harry Potter continue to provide the established blockbuster experiences, while Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is about to bring a completely new type of attraction to the park.

And with the official opening now less than two weeks away, the attention is firmly shifting from construction to the question everyone has been waiting to answer: how does Hollywood Drift actually ride?