Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift” roller coaster will open Wednesday, weeks after complaints from nearby residents about screams from riders prompted the park to plan additional sound barriers.
The outdoor roller coaster, based on Universal Pictures’ “Fast & Furious” film franchise, will reach speeds of up to 72 mph, making it the fastest coaster in the Universal portfolio, according to the park.
The coaster will feature four launches along 4,100 feet of track, reaching forces of up to 3.6 Gs. Its ride vehicles will rotate 360 degrees to simulate the sensation of cars drifting during a race, officials said.
The vehicles are modeled after four cars featured in the film series — the Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Toyota Supra.
The ride will be located on the park’s Upper Lot and will travel over and under portions of the multilevel Starway escalator. Universal said the coaster was constructed with sound-reduction technology.
Noise from the attraction became an issue during testing earlier this summer after the park began allowing passengers aboard, with residents in nearby Toluca Lake complaining about persistent screams from riders.
Los Angeles City Councilman Adrin Nazarian said last month that Universal planned to install two additional sound barriers to reduce noise. Nazarian said at the time that recent sound testing had met the park’s requirements, but the additional barriers were expected to be completed by early September.
Universal has said sound-reduction measures incorporated into the ride include a low-rumble track filled with pea gravel, more than 900 feet of sound walls and two half-pipe shields built around portions of the track.
Universal City Neighbors, a coalition of residents living near the park, plans to gather in Toluca Lake Wednesday as the coaster opens to the public to call attention to the noise and allow members of the media to hear it firsthand.
The group said it is not opposed to the attraction or Universal’s expansion but is seeking additional noise mitigation and communication from the park about efforts to address the problem.
The Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council and the Studio City Neighborhood Council have separately adopted resolutions calling on Universal to address the noise and pursue mitigation measures, according to the coalition.
Universal has scheduled a Sept. 30 community meeting with residents to discuss sound-mitigation plans, the group said.
The attraction’s queue will include recreated props from the “Fast & Furious” films, along with murals by artist Tristan Eaton. A section of the coaster’s track will pass through a transparent enclosure in the queue.
The “Fast & Furious” film franchise is marking its 25th anniversary this year.