Universal Studios Roller Coaster's Screams Disturb Toluca Lake Residents

Residents of Toluca Lake, a neighborhood adjacent to Universal Studios Hollywood, are experiencing significant distress due to the high-pitched screams emanating from the park's new "Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" roller coaster. The noise, which begins each morning and continues until late at night, has become a constant source of disturbance, with some residents reporting that the screams haunt them even in their sleep.

Fred Iberri, a fourth-generation resident, described the experience as "unbearable" and "disconcerting," noting that the constant noise has led to a sense of paranoia. "I woke up and heard the screaming and got out of my bed, walked outside and realized that my brain was tricking me," Iberri stated. Another resident, Julie Greenwald, despite living in a newer home with better insulation, can still hear the screams with her windows and doors closed.

The "Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" is Universal Studios Hollywood's first high-speed outdoor roller coaster. It features 360-degree rotating vehicles that reach a maximum speed of 72 mph along 4,100 feet of track. The ride officially opened to the public in September, approximately one month prior to the complaints intensifying. Previously, the neighborhood had maintained a peaceful coexistence with the theme park for over 60 years, separated by the Lakeside Golf Course.

NBCUniversal held a community meeting on September 30 to address resident concerns, attended by around 350 people. However, according to attendees, the meeting exacerbated tensions. The park's proposed concessions, such as adjusting the ride's operating hours to start at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. and end before 10 p.m. only until the end of the year, were seen as insufficient. A particularly contentious point was an alleged comment from a Universal engineering executive suggesting that residents could resolve the issue by wearing noise-canceling headphones. This suggestion has been met with ridicule, with one resident creating posters that mockingly reference the comment in the style of Marie Antoinette.

Roy Disney, a Toluca Lake resident whose grandfather co-founded a different theme park, criticized the park's response, stating, "They were the worst spokespeople I’ve ever heard in my life." He contrasted the situation with his family's theme park, which operates numerous rides without similar noise complaints from the surrounding residential areas, citing the enclosure of Disneyland's Space Mountain as an example of noise mitigation.

In a statement, NBCUniversal asserted that it is in full compliance with local sound standards and has "invested substantially in additional sound-reduction measures based on community feedback and remain committed to exploring what more we can do." The company noted the presence of sound barriers and committed to further sound monitoring. Another meeting is scheduled to discuss additional measures, but residents have indicated that only enclosing the ride would be an acceptable solution, which park officials deem impossible.

The "Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift" ride is part of NBCUniversal's ongoing "Evolution Plan" for Universal Studios Hollywood, a 25-year development strategy that includes significant expansion of park facilities. The theme park business is expected to become increasingly important for NBCUniversal, particularly as it prepares to spin off from its parent company, Comcast, by the end of the year.