2026 is already a big year for the themed entertainment industry. Dollywood has an incredible new ride coming that I can’t wait to see. Walt Disney World’s new The Magic of Disney Animation building looks magical. But for fans looking for a bit more of a thrill, the most anticipated roller coaster of they ear has to be Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. The coaster will be a first-of-its-kind design that will be the big attraction that such a high-octane franchise truly needs, and even Vin Diesel can’t wait to ride it.
Diesel recently posted to Instagram about the upcoming roller coaster, where he seemingly got a very up-close view. He was carrying a hard hat and vest, which indicates that he got to walk the grounds of the still under-construction ride and get a personal look at Hollywood Drift, ahead of its official opening this summer.
Diesel refers to the fact that 2026 is the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Fast & Furious franchise, which is honestly still a little tough to wrap my head around. Still, that does make it the perfect year for Hollywood Drift to open. It will be a perfect place for fans to celebrate the franchise, considering that the next Fast & Furious movie, while it’s finally back on track, is still a couple of years away.
I’ve been excited about Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift since the coaster was first rumored, and not because I’m a major fan of the increasingly outrageous franchise, but because I’m excited about the way the ride has been constructed. It will make use of the Starway, the massive escalator between the upper and lower lots of Universal Studios Hollywood, and even loop around it, making for a pretty impressive experience from either perspective.
Hollywood Drift was recently given a summer 2026 opening window. While that covers a lot of potential time, we can expect it to open as early in that period as possible. There’s a safe bet it will actually open before summer technically gets underway, as most theme parks include anytime from Memorial Day Weekend forward (and sometimes even earlier) as “summer.”
Check out that opening window announcement video below.
To "be fair to Florida" crowd need not be too disappointed that Holllywood drift is coming to the Hollywood theme park. A version of the ride has also been announced for Universal Studios Florida. Based on its location and description, the Florida ride will be a little different than the one in California, giving theme park fans and Fast & Furious fans, plenty of reason to bring the family check out both coasters.
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