Universal Studios Hollywood invited Inside Universal for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the park’s new roller coaster currently under construction and set to open this summer.
During the tour, Universal Creative Vice President Jon Corfino shared that Hollywood Drift is about more than just speed and excitement. It essentially honors the stunt performers and coordinators who shaped the Fast & Furious franchise.
“We always kind of look at our tours like, how did they do this?” Corfino explained. “How do they make these great stunts? How do they do that? This was kind of the inspiration. It was almost a love letter to the stunt folks who actually do these incredible, insane things.”
While the coaster is located at Universal Studios Hollywood, “Hollywood Drift” is intended to reference the movie-making magic of Hollywood, not the city.
“This is a love letter to stunt folks,” Corfino said.
That concept helped shape the attraction’s overall creative direction, with Universal using the experience not only to deliver the high-speed action associated with the Fast & Furious franchise but also to showcase the stunt work that brings those moments to life on screen.
That theme extends throughout the attraction’s queue, featuring a collection of iconic props from across the franchise.
Guests will be able to scan QR codes throughout the queue to access exclusive behind-the-scenes videos featuring stunt coordinators and performers explaining how some of the franchise’s most ambitious sequences were planned and executed.
“You’ll have the stunt coordinators, the actual stunt people, everything from doing the stunts to seeing how they do that,” Corfino said. “Even playing with their Hot Wheels on the sidewalk, trying to recreate and choreograph everything they’re going to do.”
Corfino pointed to one example featured in the queue: a vault used in a stunt sequence in Fast Five that contained a modified truck hidden inside, allowing it to move under its own power rather than simply being dragged.
“There was a modified truck inside that vault that was driving around, so it wasn’t just being dragged around,” Corfino explained.
Through the props and accompanying videos, Universal hopes to give guests a greater appreciation for the creativity, planning, and technical expertise that go into bringing Fast & Furious’ action sequences to life.
“Some of these stunts are incredibly dynamic,” Corfino noted. “You can only do them one time, and they’re huge.”
During our tour in late April, construction crews were still actively working inside the queue building, with most interior areas restricted from photography as the attraction entered its final stages of construction ahead of its summer opening.
The preview also provided a closer look at the coaster, which has become an increasingly prominent feature of the park. Built on the hillside above the Upper Lot, Hollywood Drift is situated on one of Universal’s most challenging construction sites for a major attraction. “Think about roller coasters – not the first place you’d put one,” Corfino joked when discussing its hillside placement.
Despite these obstacles, the project stands out as one of the most ambitious expansion efforts in Universal Studios Hollywood’s history, introducing a major outdoor roller coaster to a park limited by its unique geography.
Instead of concealing the attraction, Universal has embraced its visibility. Corfino explained that the team carefully planned sightlines, making the coaster a visual centerpiece even for guests who are not riding.
“No matter what you’re going to see down here, these cars are going to be whipping around,” Corfino said. “The coaster is the star.”
That approach extends to the queue, which provides several close-up views of the attraction as trains race through, bringing guests surprisingly close to the action as vehicles speed overhead.
One of the most impressive vantage points comes in the middle of the queue before entering the “garage”, where guests can watch trains plunge into a section of the track before zipping back out and racing above the StarWay escalators.
The attraction’s unique rotating ride vehicles are expected to be among its defining features. Throughout the tour, Universal highlighted how the spinning motion will allow riders to experience action from constantly changing perspectives while navigating the coaster’s twists and turns.
While Hollywood Drift promises the speed and spectacle expected from a Fast & Furious attraction, Universal is also using the experience to celebrate the stunt performers and coordinators who bring the franchise’s iconic action sequences to life.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is scheduled to open this summer at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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