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Universal Studios Hollywood Will Install Additional Sound Barriers for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift After Neighbor Complaints

The theme park's first outdoor roller coaster has drawn noise complaints from Toluca Lake residents during its technical rehearsals, with neighbors describing guest screams as disturbing and untenable.

By Jeanpierre Florent · FirstDrop News TeamAug 12, 20264 min read

Universal Studios Hollywood is adding two more sound barriers to Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift after nearby residents raised concerns about the volume of guest screams during the coaster's technical rehearsals. The office of L.A. City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian announced the plan on Monday, saying construction is expected to be completed by early September.

The coaster, which is currently in a soft open phase, has become the subject of noise complaints from residents in the nearby Toluca Lake neighborhood since it began testing with guests on July 27. Neighbors say the screams are loud enough to pierce through double-paned windows, with some describing them as disturbing and making their backyards unusable.

Universal Studios Hollywood confirmed the park will install the additional barriers and said it appreciates the community's input. The theme park will continue to engage with neighbors as the coaster remains in technical rehearsals ahead of its opening. No official opening date has been announced.

What Neighbors Are Saying

Toluca Lake resident Patrick Nazari told the Los Angeles Times the screams sound like someone is getting murdered. Rob Cerny, who has lived next to Universal Studios for over 30 years, said the noise has made his backyard unusable and described it as extremely prominent.

Cerny told the Times he hears a big scream every minute. When he got home, his wife was upset about the noise. He said screaming is a disturbing noise, adding that it's not a lullaby.

Leonard R. Garner Jr., another Toluca Lake resident, told the Times he heard the coaster and immediately thought there would be problems. Multiple neighbors have said the coaster itself runs relatively quietly and there were no complaints until guests started riding.

What Universal Has Already Done

Universal Studios Hollywood devoted an entire website to addressing community concerns about the coaster. According to that site, the park has already implemented several noise mitigation measures, including pea gravel in the coaster's tracks to minimize ride vehicle sound, a more than 900-foot-long sound wall, and two half-pipe shields designed to block sound.

The coaster's 360-degree rotation feature is also intended to direct screams away from the community. In a message to the Toluca Lake Homeowners Association on August 11, Universal confirmed the attraction is operating in compliance with sound ordinance requirements but said it will explore additional measures to lessen sound levels in adjacent neighborhoods based on feedback received.

The park has made outreach into the neighborhood over the years in an attempt to address concerns, distributing fliers and attending community meetings. Many Toluca Lake residents have received theme park perks from Universal, such as free parking and invitations to preopening events.

Operating Hours and Future Plans

Technical rehearsals with riders resumed on August 8 with reduced hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., during which officials will continue to monitor sound levels. In an email to residents, Universal said the ride is expected to operate during those hours through much of August.

When Halloween Horror Nights begins on September 3, the coaster will extend operations until 10 p.m. The ride is not guaranteed to be operational on any given day during this testing phase, but has been cycling guests in recent days.

A community meeting is being planned by Universal and the Toluca Lake Homeowners Association, according to Nazarian's Instagram post.

The Bigger Picture

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is Universal Studios Hollywood's first outdoor roller coaster and has been about a decade in the making. The attraction is a feat of engineering, situated on a hill between the park's upper and lower lots and extending out toward Lankershim Boulevard.

Universal has its own interest in limiting noise from the ride beyond being a polite neighbor, as it is still a working studio. The park's proactive approach included building multiple noise mitigation features into the coaster's design before it ever opened to guests.

Cerny acknowledged that living next to a major theme park means expecting a certain level of noise. But he noted he's lived there for over 30 years, long before the park's Harry Potter or Nintendo expansions. He said the park used to be a studio tour place and is now a major thrill theme park, calling that a different deal.

Written by Jeanpierre Florent, part of the FirstDrop News Team

Jeanpierre is the Southern California based creator behind JPLAND21, a theme park community of more than one million subscribers across YouTube and Instagram. Our reporting is grounded in regular firsthand park visits. More about us

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