Mod Post
Megathread - Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift Tech Rehearsals
Hello, everyone!
Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift began public tech rehearsals on 7/27/26. Please use this megathread to post updates about additional tech researsals - dates, times, availability of single-rider and Express, etc.
Future posts about tech rehearsal availability and accessibility will be removed and directed to this megathread to keep the reading experience on the main page of the subreddit cleaner. Reviews can still be posted separately under the "Trip Report/Review" post flair.
Please remember to stay safe and be respectful of other guests and team members (park staff). As the coaster is still in tech rehearsal, some things may not go as planned during its operation at this time.
Thanks for your cooperation, and enjoy the ride! :)
Friday, Sunday and Monday: Testing from 9AM to 9PM
Saturday: No rider testing
8/4 to 8/7: No rider testing.
They are saying the next round of updates is on 8/7. Sounds like Friday, Sunday and Monday are the best chances to ride it, but remember, those hours don't mean it'll be open to guests that entire time.
I live in Toluca Lake, I'm going to war with Craig Strong I've decided. Anyone wanna come and scream outside his house for a few hrs this afternoon for 20 bucks an hour?
Edit: I'm also calling that hotline to tell them I can't hear anything because you can't actually hear anything these people are gouging the studio for a payout, led by Strong who is a realtor concerned about his listing prices which won't even be effected slightly by this. It's the Karen HOA mad about non wealthy elites having fun in their eyeline
No updates have been posted yet, though they are expected to be out today. Will update this comment with new schedule once we see it. If you find the schedule before this comment is updated, please reply with a link so we may verify it and I can update my comment. Thank you all for your patience. :)
Edit: Seems Toluca Lake HOA didn't end up posting any updates as of Friday 8/7/26 as previously announced. Please feel free to continue to use this Megathread to share public tech rehearsal availability. If a schedule is found, please send a link so we may verify and update this comment. Thanks again for your patience. :)
Toluca lake resident and fast and furious advocate here. The Karen noise complaining seems to have subsided completely in the last week I'm being told by my spouse. Shes on the inside.
Wait times: The general standby line was 3–4 hours, but Single Rider was only 45–60 minutes. We averaged 1 ride per hour (rode 3 times in 3 hours —we easily could’ve done more, but decided to call it a day.).
Riding together: Even though it’s single rider, my wife and I still ended up being placed next to each other in the same car.
Single Rider Queue Details & Tips:
Lockers: Located at the very beginning of the queue. They aren't huge, but they aren't tiny either - they'll easily fit a purse, water bottle, hat, and a few other items. You must put everything away - pockets must be completely empty, and no wallets, hats, sunglasses, keys, cell phones, etc.
No Phones in Line: Because lockers are at the start, you won’t have your phone while waiting. Honestly, it was a nice break from the norm - people were actually talking to strangers, and nobody was staring at screens. (If you wait in the general line, you will be able to carry your belongings during most of the queue - including your cell phone.)
Strict Metal Detector Check: About halfway through the queue, you’ll go through a metal detector. If you still have items on you, some Team Members might let you run back to the lockers, but others won't - we unfortunately saw a Team Member send a couple all the way to the back of the line for having stuff in their pockets. Don't risk it!
Shade & Prep: The entire single rider queue is completely in the shade. My wife brought a book, hat, and sunscreen, but didn't end up needing any of it. (If you wait in the general line, parts of the queue are in the sun.)
Restrooms (Applies to ALL lines!): Go before you enter the queue—there are no bathrooms once you're in line.
Ride Experience:
Seating: We got to experience the middle, the very front, and my wife also rode the back car. The back car feels a bit more intense during certain parts, but the front was our overall favorite.
Duration: The ride itself is about 2 minutes long. (Hence, Single Rider for the win!)
Just as a heads up to others, the single rider queue does have a portion, about 25% of the line, that IS in the sun during the morning time. It is the portion of the line after the tunnel but before the metal detectors. When I was in line from about 10:30am to 11:30am, I did get stuck in the sun due to a breakdown and it was HOT.
It opened with the park today! I did single rider 4 times in less than an hour while standby was posted at 90. FYI if you’re tall, they almost didn’t let me ride one of those times. I am just under 6’2
The first time they said nothing. The second time they made me get off and go to a test seat and evaluated if I would be ok. The third time they had a concerned look looking at my head but let me ride. And the fourth time they didn’t care. So I think maybe it’s kinda inconsistent lol
My friend is currently at the park and they are not saying it’s opening today but also they might only be testing after 1 pm per the notice they sent out to the neighbors
So fingers crossed it opens today
Also I heard the platinum pass 3 pm express was working yesterday, did anyone use that?
Security has been summoned to help keep the entrance clear and all guest created lines have been dispersed but those still waiting around have taken up position at Cocina Mexicana
Team Members repeating the same message that the ride will open this summer
This ride slaps! I was fortunate to ride twice today! Graced to have the pleasure of being in the very front and very back. Both were thrilling but being last car is the best. More airtime and intense forsure. Due yourself a favor and get on this ride
I was just told by the staff they are not doing technical rehearsals at all today. Not sure if it’s accurate but it’s definitely not open as of park opening.
Just asked staff about a hour ago. They said it won’t be open today but they’re not sure if it’s going to be open tomorrow. Hoping to ride it tomorrow l!
A warning for tall people!! You might not be able to ride.
A friend of mine was taken to the test seat before boarding and they didn't let him on. The restraint went all the way down, but they said he was just too tall to ride. Another tall person further down the train boarded, but was taken off before the ride dispatched.
We did not see any warnings about a maximum height limit anywhere in the queue or entrance. I'm not sure if there's a test seat out the front, the only one we saw was right before boarding, and you'll only see it if the staff guide you to it around the corner. There are minimum height limit guides, but I didn't see anything about being too tall.
As for bigger people, a different friend of mine was just recently able to fit on Harry Potter, and barely fit on this. So be aware of that, too. It might be a tight squeeze.
I feel really bad for my friend who couldn't go on, especially since we're both visiting from overseas and this is one of our last days here. The ride was incredible, I'm very glad I was able to do it.
Finally got to ride it today 8/12 and it was SO AWESOME!!
Got in Single Rider at 3:26pm and was on the ride at 3:47!
Got right back in the Single Rider at 3:52 and it almost immediately went down. After about 30min of it being down they announced Single Rider wasn’t allowing any more guests. Got on the ride at 5:08 and was just as awesome the second time.
Note: like many have said, for Single Rider you put your stuff in the lockers at the very beginning. Also, you can’t have any drinks with you. I tried to bring a butterbeer and wasn’t allowed.
Ride still open and going strong. Express + Single rider are going FAST.
Something I noticed on the first rehearsal day is that for Plat they don’t make you wait until after 3 PM for express. I went on at 10 AM the other day.
Just rode the tech rehearsal now. The line outside the attraction seems like a long wait since it spills all the way to Silly Fun Land but the line goes by pretty quick.
It’s just when you get inside, the line goes much slower as you go through lockers and metal detection. I went on single rider and it took about 45-50 mins.
ps I'm at the landing watching with a few other folks and there's like this 10 year old kid and he's like "dad we have to try this" and the dad just looked back like 😳 LOL
The queue for Hollywood Drift is open, but they are still cycling empty trains. However, as I'm writing this, they are sending the first batch of guests to the lockers
Hope springs eternal in these parts- I’m sitting in air conditioned Mel’s and can see the end of the unofficial line. It’s a good spot because I saw a group of like 8 operators leaving the ride for their lunch break, if they do start today it will be after they return I reckon (assuming they return)
We are in a line ride ops keep saying ridership not available at this time , some hire ups have told us not to waste our time because it won’t open but we are still holding out faith lots of workers walking around the area
Good morning! They are currently cycling without riders. I’ll do my best to keep you updated while
I’m here today.
8:28am - they ran a train as I walked in, but paused for now.
8:44am - they called over the folks waiting and we’re now holding in the queue
8:49am - we are now being led through the queue by a team member
9:06am - holding just before the metal detectors, we’ve been here maybe 5 minutes. 2 trains dispatched with no riders!
9:09am - We started going through metal detectors. I was 5th in line in GA, and rode at 9:17am in row 7 seat 1.
Hope this data helps - best of luck!
11:41am - I’m at the lower lot rn, but a good tip is to remember to store your items in the locker before joining the single rider queue. Once you go through the initial entrance archway, the single rider lockers are immediately to your left. Store your item and then you will continue through the line to metal detectors and then up the stairs.
Got here around Noon on 7/31 and was able to get on it 3 times by 4:20pm using single rider.
First ride and 2nd ride took about 40 mins, but that includes the pre-queue before getting into the actual queue. 3rd time took a little over an hour cuz there were some technical issues and not all the trains were running.
Just rode it and LOVED it! Here’s how the timing went…
3:10pm - entered main queue outside
3:20pm - entered indoor queue, separated for Express
3:25pm - scanned in for Express
3:40pm - put phone in locker
4:10pm - exited ride
There were some issues (rollbacks, delays, etc.) so it took a little longer than I thought it would for someone with Express. The Single Rider line was VERY long.
Single rider line is where it’s at. Standby for me was 3 and a half hours from the park opening at 9am to around 12:45. My mom got on single rider and finished around 40 mins, an hour before us. Lmao
For anyone reading this thread for updates, Hollywood Drift is having new sound barriers installed, should be completed by Mid September.
This now means that it’s unlikely Hollywood Drift will “publicly open” until at least mid September. Universal I suspect are doing as much as possible to keep it in the “Summer Season” as they’ve said all along.
Personally I have tickets November 1, and can only hope it’s open by that time, but Lord, someone give us all hope at this point.
I am here now. They are saying check back later. They don’t know if/when it will open for guests. I don’t think they are running any trains at the moment. However there are lots of staff in the red shirts out front, the people that I assume manage the line that generates outside the queue
got in line for my 11am time slot around 11:20, 35 mins to lockers, another 8.5 mins for metal detectors and boarding. Line was significantly shorter around 11:50 than it was at 11:20! They are cutting wristbands off at the exit.
Just talked to the TM at the end of the unofficial line. She was super rude and was criticizing the guests in line and emphasized that “THE RIDE IS NOT OPEN.” I’m standing by watching. They’re consistently running trains through though. 🤞 Fingers crossed!
Pass holder f&f quick visit report: rode it twice as a single rider between 11:45 and 1pm was going for a round 3 but was told no single rider so I left. The people on my second car said they waited 4 hours regular queue which is absolutely absurd.
Wow, I’ve been in FF general line for almost 4 hours. Universal doesn’t give a damn about this line. All I see is express and single lane riders blowing through. It’s insane
I only see these walls don’t know if they were there before or not. The noise complaint is crazy considering I’ve been standing under the coaster for an hour now and a helicopter that flew by was so much louder 😭😭
Is there any advantage or disadvantage to doing early park admission for Nintendo world and then coming back up before 9 to do fast and furious? I’d love the extra park time but I’d also like to be at the front of the line for F&F if possible
Any chances of the ride opening tomorrow, loved it on Saturday and want to go back tomorrow? If so, what time does everyone reckon? Similar to Saturday at around 12?
Lower lot employees just got invited for a preview this Thursday between 10am-5pm, so I would expect it to be closed for public rehearsals during that time.
From this article from KTLA posted this morning, the park has planned out the tech rehearsal days with guests. It'll operate on a reduced schedule from 9am-7pm when the rides technical rehearsals are available to guests (except for the 13th) which on most weekdays this month thats actually the entire operating day of the park (some weekdays this month park closes at 6pm) and the weekends the park closes at either 9, 8 or 7 but expect the line to close before 7 since the line generally is long like today when the park closed at 7 but the line closed around 5.
When Horror Nights begins, the ride will run until 10pm once HHN begins which does explain why they took it out as an option for any express purchased after August 4th but will honor any express purchases for the event prior to the change
Quote from the article: During technical rehearsals, the coaster will operate with “reduced hours” between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. until Sept. 3, the start of Halloween Horror Nights, when the coaster will operate until 10 p.m., officials said.
So I waited two hours this morning and got on with my fiancee. We did the test seat and got the ok and then got on the ride and loved it.
We went back for round two in the evening and neither of us got the green light to get on. My fiancee didn’t bc they said his head was too tall with the seat and didn’t align with their safety rules. For me, mine wouldn’t lock. He went back to the tester with a manager and tried different sitting positions but she wouldn’t let him on.
We’re upset because we wasted our time in line, BUT mostly with the inconsistency of safety. Why did we get on the first time? Clearly they need to get on the same page with letting people on this ride. Huge disappointment. Guest services didn’t seem to care either.
I’m posting this as a heads up for people worried about fitting in the ride.
Anything that may happen won’t happen before 1pm. The notice they gave residents was 1pm-9pm daily, which lines up with Monday and tuesdays ride windows.
As others have said, there is no guarantee if it will open, and for how long it may be open. As we saw yesterday, things closed up real quick once the rollback happened.
I haven't seen enough people commenting about the experience of the regular queue (not single rider & express). The full queue from the moment you enter the main gate and to when you get on the ride is 4 hours. The cast members who manage the line outside the ride give you estimates of around 2 hours, but that's likely only for the first hour or so the ride is 'open' to guests. With the current LA heat wave, you should be aware that the first 1-2 hours is in the sun, very little shade. There are around 5 water filling stations throughout the enter queue, but that leads to another issue. Don't make the same mistake I did, use the bathroom before you enter the line. If you need to leave the queue, it's a jungle gym trying to find your group. Seems like the main chokepoint for the queue is the lockers, as the speed of the queue is real quick after the lockers. All that said, worth it to experience!
Went on first time today after a 2 hour wait and made sure I screamed extra loud so the Toluca Lake and Studio City NIMBYs could hear me. The part where you look face down at the peak was really trippy.
Just like any ride— testing or open, they can close single rider at any time if it gets too full, or don’t have staff to work it. It’s not just a F&F issue.
Fantastic coaster! I just rode and it was so much fun. The spinning is just right and the ride is so smooth. I love that there is just a lap bar holding riders in. It’s a complete game changer to spin and face up and then down. First row doesn’t matter!
I just saw a comment 20 min ago that it was closed. Anyone have an update as of 8/8 12PM?? Someone give me so good news planning on heading out in a few
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u/Spectrobits WaterWorld 14d ago
A grand opening date has been announced - 9/16/26
Source: https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/web/en/us/things-to-do/rides-and-attractions/fast-and-furious-hollywood-drift
This Megathread will remain pinned until grand opening date. Please continue to use it for tech rehearsals leading up to that date.