Universal Teases Fast & Furious Coaster Announcement for January 20
It looks like we’ll soon know what’s replacing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida. Today, Universal Orlando Resort teased a January 20 announcement. The post features a speedometer pegged at 70 mph and an odometer reading 01/20/26. It feels like a Fast & Furious tease.
Some fans are still hoping this points to Back to the Future, but the details don’t line up. First, Alicia Stella told us as much. And Universal’s post offers its own clues. If Universal were teasing a DeLorean, you’d expect a nod to 88 miles per hour. Also, Doc Brown’s DeLorean speedometer topped out at 95 (10 mph higher than a stock DeLorean, by the way). Instead, the gauge in the clip goes above 130.
Over in California, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift debuts at Universal Studios Hollywood later this year. Built by Intamin, the coaster’s cars spin up to 360 degrees, giving riders the sensation of drifting through turns. That attraction reportedly tops out at 72 mph, just two miles per hour faster than Universal’s teased speedometer.
Bioreconstruct has been documenting the rapid demolition of Rip Ride Rockit and the construction of its replacement. Could Intamin’s drift coaster concept be destined for those footers? If so, it’s a completely different layout from what’s in Universal City. Central Florida doesn’t have Hollywood’s hillside to work with. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We don’t need more cloned attractions, but I also wouldn’t mind seeing that ride system reimagined in Florida.
