Residents in a Los Angeles suburb have voiced strong concerns over the noise emanating from Universal Studios Hollywood's new "Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" roller coaster. The sounds, described by some as "bloody murder" and "like someone is getting murdered," prompted intervention from local lawmakers.
LA Councilmember Adrin Nazarian announced Monday that Universal Studios Hollywood has agreed to install two additional sound barriers to mitigate the noise. These barriers are expected to be completed next month. The roller coaster, which reaches speeds of up to 72 mph, has been in a soft-launch testing period since July.
Toluca Lake residents have reported persistent and intrusive screaming sounds from the attraction. "You think something is happening. Like someone is getting murdered out there," resident Patrick Nazari told the LA Times. Another resident, Colby Jensen, described the noise as constant and "like a horror film going on."
Universal Studios Hollywood stated that the ride is operating in compliance with existing sound ordinance requirements. However, the park acknowledged community feedback and is implementing the additional measures in response to neighborhood concerns. "Community feedback has been an important part of our testing process, and in response to that feedback, we are implementing additional sound-reduction measures to further lessen sound levels in the adjacent neighborhood," a park spokesperson said.
The park has also engaged with the Toluca Lake HOA, asking residents to report noise incidents to a dedicated hotline during the testing phase. Universal Studios Hollywood indicated that it would schedule a community meeting with HOA leadership in the near future. The official opening date for the "Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" roller coaster has not yet been announced.