Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster (Opening 2026)

[RyanTTD]

Considering a lot of those new soundstages are just about complete, I'm surprised to see that they just repainted all those stages slated for theme park expansion. Total guess but could that part of the Evolution plan be on the backburner while higher priority things are dealt with, mainly F&F and Simpsons?

The repainting is just to give the studio one cohesive theme. Those sound stages are still earmarked for theme park expansion.

 

[Viator]

Willing to bite.

From the specifics of the survey: it says that the coaster would begin from the location of the Upper Lot, and travel downwards to the Lower Lot, but at that same time; also travelling down near that of Fire House #55.

For the load, queue, and start and end of the ride, the border can be defined as that of around that of the side of Kirk Douglas. Meaning, the coaster would need to travel down, alongside that of Kirk Douglas proper. You would have to modify the poster locations in doing so, and the infastructure around that of the coaster and the fire escape.

View attachment 17659

I can be absolutely wrong in this--have been in the past; and I'd argue they would also go down to the hillside to the right of the second starway going down to the Lower Lot, but it could allow them to block noise pollution by narrowing it in-between the Jurassic World structure, DMMM/Frankenstein Parking, and the reformed area for F&F's queue, station, transfers, and storage areas.

Positionals of the start and end are a bit off, more specifically the overhang and what I think is a cutback, but this makes sense to me. An Out/Back thrill coaster that has three launches (the reverse to the Hammerhead Stall, the Forward launch to what seems to be a cutback, and the booster launch sending the train to the ride's Z-gravity stall). Could even make it four inversions if the way from next to the starway to the left of Kirk Douglas is a corkscrew emulating the final race scene.

Hi there. Coming back to this, because it seems I might of been on to something. From @ethanuniversal



Source: Link!

 

[MikePat]

 

[Stryker]

Interesting that a generator has been installed here. Wonder if it’s for Hollywood Drift or something else.

 

[Stryker]

Also, haven’t been keeping up with this section but are these tree stumps new? Have they been slowly clearing trees/shrubs in preparation for the new coaster towards the fire station?

 

[salismetho]

So we thinking bigger construction starts next week? Can't believe how much the sight-lines of the park are about to change

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

So we thinking bigger construction starts next week? Can't believe how much the sight-lines of the park are about to change

Knowing Universal, as soon as the Pets and Effects Stages close, they'll be going down.

 

[Viator]

With us now looming two days to the closure of both Special Effects Stage and Animal Actors, do we think we might get something similar to the Minion teaser you guys got once Shrek closed? But, replace a Banana, with a Corona Light.

 

[FBarnhill]

It's unfathomable how they're once again removing attractions that's been a part of their legacy since the beginning. The park was meant to be educational as well as thrilling. The fact they've announced this in such a nonchalant way is even more shocking. It's the equivalent of Disney turning its back on Epcot's roots and just make it another synergistic Disney Park. Yeah, there's attendance but at what cost?

It's like what Theme Snark said: "[Universal] wants big, dumb thrill rides; screw history".

 

[Freak]

It's unfathomable how they're once again removing attractions that's been a part of their legacy since the beginning. The park was meant to be educational as well as thrilling. The fact they've announced this in such a nonchalant way is even more shocking. It's the equivalent of Disney turning its back on Epcot's roots and just make it another synergistic Disney Park. Yeah, there's attendance but at what cost?

It's like what Theme Snark said: "[Universal] wants big, dumb thrill rides; f*** history".

I mean, there’s a rumor that AA will be coming back in a smaller form at the plaza. I did come up with a way to bring back the SES show in smaller form in the “State of USH” thread. Maybe they could do that

 

[Viator]

It's unfathomable how they're once again removing attractions that's been a part of their legacy since the beginning. The park was meant to be educational as well as thrilling. The fact they've announced this in such a nonchalant way is even more shocking. It's the equivalent of Disney turning its back on Epcot's roots and just make it another synergistic Disney Park. Yeah, there's attendance but at what cost?

It's like what Theme Snark said: "[Universal] wants big, dumb thrill rides; f*** history".

As someone who is deeply allergic to a few of the animals of Animal Actors, perhaps I have a bias when it comes down to it; but I just see it as wasted space. That being said, as @Freak mentioned; rumors seem to point that Plaza may be housing a reduced version of the show come the spring time, so that could be one show back up.

As for Special Effects Stage: while it's been updated time and time again, feel like it could be used for something much better than what it currently is. Like if there could be a better way to showcase that aspect, without fully taking up a show like that (Bourne feels like that solution, due to how it's paced as a three act "movie" with the blending of the stuntwork we already see in SES, alongside the modern advances in the Rear-screen geling and blending in with the physical setpieces. It strips the behind the scene feeling sure, but it feels like something that would make a lot of sense for the Hollywood park.

Now, as some (like @Clive) have expertly said: this should not of happened a month and a half prior to the biggest thing that is going to happen to the park yet with Super Nintendo World. But, I think in the long haul: a successive period of building more constant throughput capacity while also figuring out down the road for reincorporating entertainment could be a good situation. The park desperately needs more, at a successive rate as we get closer and closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 LA Summer Olympics. And as it seems so-far, they have no intention on letting the crown jewel of the park, the Studio Tour, away.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

It's unfathomable how they're once again removing attractions that's been a part of their legacy since the beginning. The park was meant to be educational as well as thrilling. The fact they've announced this in such a nonchalant way is even more shocking. It's the equivalent of Disney turning its back on Epcot's roots and just make it another synergistic Disney Park. Yeah, there's attendance but at what cost?

It's like what Theme Snark said: "[Universal] wants big, dumb thrill rides; f*** history".

 

[Magic-Man]

It's unfathomable how they're once again removing attractions that's been a part of their legacy since the beginning. The park was meant to be educational as well as thrilling. The fact they've announced this in such a nonchalant way is even more shocking. It's the equivalent of Disney turning its back on Epcot's roots and just make it another synergistic Disney Park. Yeah, there's attendance but at what cost?

It's like what Theme Snark said: "[Universal] wants big, dumb thrill rides; f*** history".

Lol I'm pretty sure 99% of people won't miss these two shows. It's not like they're getting rid of a classic ride. This isn't a big loss.

 

[highdefrex]

I'd argue in the Special Effects Stage's case, too, a lot of it covers stuff that can be done in your own home now or looked up on Wikipedia or YouTube for even more information. Back in the '90s or even the early 2000s, a century of "movie magic" was still a thing because the information relating to how something was done in a movie wasn't as readily available for people. Now? Literally anything you'd ever want to know about how a scene was shot or how a certain special effect was done or how to make your own practical effects can be Googled in a matter of seconds. Seeing blue/green screen work on a stage is no longer impressive because the 12-year-old next door can do wonders in their garage with a blue/green screen just making a video for social media. The secrets behind "movie magic" are no longer secrets in a society with information perpetually at its fingertips, which I think has been working against SES for years -- I'd love to see it return elsewhere only if it's severely updated and overhauled, like a theoretical mini Hollywood land people have kicked around, because I definitely agree with its removal being a sign of Universal moving away from that sort of "movie magic" vibe that I personally grew up with and have nostalgia for, but at the same time, I absolutely think it's the right call to get rid of it when its current form just feels woefully outdated in today's world. Big picture, too, the F&F coaster is just a solid decision overall for the park in terms of its growth and pushing it towards what it can be 10-15 years down the line, and SES is a small loss on the way to a much bigger victory.

 

[Magic-Man]

USH will probably get a new show sooner than later anyways. Maybe 2026?

 

[Rideguy70]

It's unfathomable how they're once again removing attractions that's been a part of their legacy since the beginning. The park was meant to be educational as well as thrilling. The fact they've announced this in such a nonchalant way is even more shocking. It's the equivalent of Disney turning its back on Epcot's roots and just make it another synergistic Disney Park. Yeah, there's attendance but at what cost?

It's like what Theme Snark said: "[Universal] wants big, dumb thrill rides; screw history".

I'm having flashback to what people said about the original DCA park. Who remembers the Golden Dreams movie? Or the Bountiful Farm area? All very educational and a part of the identity of the park!

I mean, it's a bummer they're being removed from a historical point of view. But yeah, they're outdated by today's standards. They're nice to watch once, but not a lot of repeat value. This possible coaster will draw in way more people than those shows ever did.

Really, the thing I'm going to miss the most are the bathrooms beneath AA.

Side question: if the animals do leave, will there still be a "live" Max for Grinchmas next year?

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

USH will probably get a new show sooner than later anyways. Maybe 2026?

I feel 2025 for a show since 2 major rides/lanes are planned for 2023/2024 with SNW and the F&F Coaster. Would be an easier, and different, new attraction to put together most likely.

The park could use another big capacity show. Shows can be people eaters to level crowds a bit. Something on the lower lot to help ease SNW crowds would probably be most feasible and helpful.

 

[jarmor]

Are shows really doing it? How many people go see the same show every visit vs ride the same rides?

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

TBH I go to Animal Actors a lot -- I think it's charmingly hokey and the trainers clearly are having fun and they do a good job of switching up the performers so you rarely see the same animals twice. That said, if it's a choice between this and a major coaster, I'm picking a coaster every time. I think they'll bring back both shows in a truncated form down the line -- maybe combine them into a single entity.

 

[Viator]

I feel 2025 for a show since 2 major rides/lanes are planned for 2023/2024 with SNW and the F&F Coaster. Would be an easier, and different, new attraction to put together most likely.

Interestingly, 2025 seems to be Donkey Kong Country? Both The Wrap's article on SNW (who was writed by the one who posted of Universal Monsters in EU within the UC Exec departure article) and multiple instances from Jim Hill have seemingly pointed to 2025 being the year of Kong.