Full Breakdown
Noise Dispute Over Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” Roller Coaster
7/19/2026, 2:25:31 AM
Core Event
Universal Studios Hollywood is testing “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift,” its first fully outdoor roller coaster, on the Upper Lot. The 4,100-foot track reaches speeds of 72 mph and features 360-degree rotating cars modeled after franchise vehicles such as Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger. Early human test runs, including an employee-only preview night, have generated loud, intermittent screams that travel across the adjacent Lakeside Golf Course and into the historic Toluca Lake residential neighborhood. The attraction is slated to open to the public in summer 2026.
Resident Opposition
Neighbors in Toluca Lake have voiced strong frustration, describing the sound as a continuous, disruptive “obnoxious noise” that echoes throughout the day and night. Community members argue the coaster’s noise undermines the area’s reputation for peace and quiet and have called for immediate mitigation measures.
Park’s Mitigation Plans
Universal Studios Hollywood engineers are developing a series of structural and mechanical adjustments aimed at reducing sound transmission before the ride’s public debut. The mitigation plan includes:
- Constructing dedicated sound walls around high-velocity sections of the outdoor track.
- Installing a specialized gravel track bed to absorb vibrations and mechanical noise.
- Programming coaster vehicles to spin and face away from the Toluca Lake neighborhood during the loudest ride elements.
Park representatives have invited direct input from local residents as testing and monitoring continue.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I mean, when you're sitting outside, you just hear the screaming all throughout the day and then even into the night, so it's pretty non-stop. Yeah, loud screams, just voices, just like a little bit of obnoxious noise throughout the entire day,” — Resident, Toluca Lake
- “not only echoes it blasts all over the golf course and into the neighborhood. So it's extremely disruptive.” — Resident, Toluca Lake
- “They’ve only run it with people on it one night, and I believe that was an employee night.” — Neighbor observing the test night
- “ What's next: Universal Studios Hollywood engineers are currently working on a series of structural and mechanical adjustments to muffle the sounds before the ride opens to the general public.” — Park statement (paraphrased from official communications)
