‘Constant' Screaming: Universal's New Coaster Rattles Valley Neighbors

Residents near Universal Studios Hollywood say screams from passengers testing the theme park’s new Fast & Furious roller coaster are disrupting their neighborhood, according to reports.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the park’s first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, has been undergoing technical rehearsals ahead of its public opening. Universal has not announced a full opening date.

Neighbors told ABC 7, KTLA and the Los Angeles Times that the coaster itself is relatively quiet when running empty. The disturbance begins when passengers are aboard the coaster, which hits speeds of 72 mph, they said.

“When it’s running, it’s constant, and it sounds like bloody murder over there,” Toluca Lake resident Colby Jensen told KTLA.

Other residents described hearing repeated screams through closed doors and double-paned windows, with some saying the sound has made it difficult to use their backyards.

Universal incorporated several noise-control measures into the attraction, including sound barriers, shields along parts of the track and pea gravel intended to reduce track noise, according to reports.

The company has also established a neighborhood hotline and placed sound-monitoring equipment around the community, the Times reported.

In a statement provided to ABC 7, Universal said it is continuing to evaluate the attraction under different operating conditions.

“The coaster is currently in technical rehearsals, which are designed to evaluate the attraction over time and under a variety of operating conditions,” the company said. “As part of that process, we are actively reviewing sound levels to ensure the coaster is operating in compliance.”

The attraction was developed under the Universal Studios Specific Plan approved by Los Angeles County in 2013, according to the Times. County officials told the newspaper that the coaster did not require additional public hearings and that there was no indication it violated the plan’s requirements.

Universal is required to monitor noise at six locations surrounding the property, including several in Toluca Lake, the Times reported.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the theme park, said county officials are working with Universal and neighborhood residents.

“I remain committed to ensuring the county continues engaging with all parties, reviewing the facts, and encouraging solutions that respect both our communities and the economic vitality that destinations like Universal Studios bring to our County,” Barger said in a statement to ABC 7.

Residents acknowledged that Universal has taken steps to respond, but some said the complaints reflect broader concerns about the studio property’s transformation into a thrill-ride destination.

“This was not Magic Mountain,” longtime resident Rob Cerny told the Times. “I grew up here. It was a studio tour place. Now it’s a major thrill theme park. That’s a different deal.”

Universal said it would announce an opening date for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift soon. Testing continued this week.