Universal Studios’ resorts are among the theme parks getting some major improvements in 2026, and both the California and Florida-based parks are getting a seriously high-octane addition. It was announced earlier this year that the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift was being constructed for both parks and would serve as a successor to Fast & Furious: Supercharged. Fans have been eagerly awaiting an opening date for the Hollywood version of the ride, and a date was just accidentally dropped, prompting an apology from Universal.
What Happened With The Fast & Furious’ Release Date Snafu?
Near the end of this past week, an apparent news release was shared to Universal Hollywood Studios’ website, and it seemed to confirm that Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift would open to the public on June 26. That announcement was later shared on X by a few users, who expressed excitement over the roller coaster’s supposed opening. Sometime after that, however, Universal itself took to Instagram to release a formal statement on the supposed leak. The company sought to clear up the situation, saying:
‘Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift’ will open this summer and we look forward to sharing its official opening date soon. An opening date was incorrectly posted on the Universal Studios Hollywood website and we apologize for the confusion. Stay tuned for more to come!
So fans may want to pump the brakes on their hype just a smidge in the aftermath of that update from the theme park. Regardless of when any kind of announcement was meant to go up, though, it’s unclear as to whether that June 26th release date is accurate to begin with. It’s worth mentioning, though, that back in February, it was rumored that the California iteration of Hollywood Drift could open sometime this summer, and ride testing was apparently taking place by April. Still, fans will just have to wait for further details.
How Does Hollywood Drift Compare To Supercharged, And Where Do Things Stand With The Florida-Based Version Of The Ride
Fast & Furious: Supercharged is a motion-based dark ride, and it opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2015 and at the Florida park in 2018. The premise of the attraction involves riders being drawn into a conflict between Dominic Toretto and his crew and Owen Shaw and his forces. Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Luke Evans, Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson reprise their roles from the F&F films for both versions of the ride, while Ludarcis and Jordana Brewster appear in the pre-show for the one in Florida.
Ultimately, Supercharged received negative reviews, and the not-so-stellar feedback to the one at the Florida resort led to the cancellation of another version of the ride at Universal Studios Beijing. As it stands, the Hollywood Studios iteration of the attraction has been closed since March 2025, and its east coast counterpart is shutting down for good in 2027.
The first look at Hollywood Drift was released in June 2025 and, at the time, fans were treated to a digital rendering of what the ambitious coaster would look like. Another promo was released earlier this year, and it teases the drifting feature that each of the railcars will have. Check it out:
It’s easy to understand why fans are excited for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, as it looks like it’ll provide some serious thrills. While the Orlando-based ride won’t open until 2027, it’s hard to say exactly when an official opening date will be unveiled by Universal Studios Hollywood. At the very least, though, fans can take comfort in knowing that it’ll definitely open sometime this summer.
