Universal’s Biggest New Thrill Is Making Noise for All the Wrong Reasons Ahead of Opening

For theme park fans, the months leading up to a major attraction’s opening are usually filled with excitement. Construction photos circulate online. Testing videos rack up thousands of views. Every train dispatched across a new track builds anticipation for the moment guests finally get to experience it themselves.

But sometimes, the story unfolding before opening day isn’t happening inside the park gates.

As Universal Studios Hollywood prepares to debut its long-awaited Fast & Furious roller coaster later this year, a surprising shift is unfolding just beyond the resort’s borders. While enthusiasts celebrate every new milestone in the attraction’s testing process, some of the people living closest to the park say they’re already bracing for something they never expected.

What Residents Say They’re Hearing Every Few Seconds

The coaster may not be welcoming guests yet, but it has already entered an intensive testing and commissioning phase. According to nearby residents interviewed by CBS News, that testing has introduced an unexpected soundtrack to their neighborhood.

“It wasn’t the roller coaster we noticed first,” neighbors explained. Instead, they say it’s the screams.

Craig Strong, who lives near Universal Studios Hollywood, described the experience in striking terms.

“Like every 30-40 seconds, you just keep hearing screams,” Strong told CBS News. “It’s like this is going to be our new sound in the neighborhood all day long.”

For residents accustomed to what Strong described as a peaceful neighborhood, the difference has been impossible to ignore.

“It’s very peaceful,” he said. “That roller coaster, it’s a game changer.”

The concern isn’t simply about daytime operations. Strong worries that testing—and eventually extended park hours during busy seasons or special events—could mean hearing riders until late into the evening.

“Please work this out,” he pleaded. “I can’t live here and listen to screams every 40 seconds until, sometimes, 2 a.m. It’s just unfair.”

Universal Says the Story Isn’t Finished Yet

Universal insists the attraction is still very much a work in progress.

A spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood told CBS News that the coaster remains in its testing and commissioning phase, with engineers actively evaluating sound levels before the attraction officially opens.

“The coaster is currently in its testing and commissioning phase, which includes actively reviewing sound levels to ensure the coaster operates in compliance,” the spokesperson said. “Feedback from the community is an important part of this process, and we appreciate hearing from them.”

The company also says significant planning went into minimizing the attraction’s impact on surrounding neighborhoods.

According to NBCUniversal, mitigation efforts include approximately 900 feet of sound walls, the use of pea gravel beneath portions of the track to absorb noise, and coaster vehicles engineered to rotate throughout the ride, reducing the chance that riders’ screams consistently face nearby homes.

Whether those measures ultimately satisfy residents remains an open question.

What Fans May Not Immediately Realize About This Debate

At first glance, complaints about screaming on a roller coaster might sound inevitable. Thrill rides are supposed to be loud. They’re designed to create excitement.

But this situation highlights a much larger balancing act modern theme parks increasingly face.

As attractions become taller, faster, and more technologically ambitious, parks are also operating closer than ever to residential communities. Every new coaster isn’t just an engineering achievement—it’s a long-term relationship with thousands of nearby homeowners.

That’s why operational details like sound walls, ride orientation, landscaping, and testing procedures have become almost as important as the ride itself.

For longtime theme park observers, these conversations are becoming more common as parks continue expanding without expanding their physical footprints.

What starts as neighborhood feedback can quickly evolve into broader discussions about operating hours, future attractions, and how aggressively parks pursue growth.

The Ride’s Biggest Challenge May Come Before Opening Day

Ironically, the Fast & Furious coaster has generated enormous excitement among Universal fans eager for a major new thrill ride. The attraction represents one of the park’s most ambitious additions in years and is expected to become one of its signature experiences.

Yet before the first official rider even boards, the coaster has already sparked a conversation that extends well beyond roller coaster enthusiasts.

Guests are celebrating the arrival of another high-profile attraction. Neighbors are wondering what daily life will sound like once testing gives way to full operation.

Those aren’t necessarily opposing viewpoints—but they do reflect two very different experiences surrounding the same project.

Universal now finds itself in the unusual position of trying to deliver a blockbuster attraction while reassuring the community living just outside its gates that the excitement won’t come at their expense.

When the Fast & Furious coaster officially opens later this year, millions of guests will likely focus on its speed, intensity, and cutting-edge design. But the conversation already happening outside the park suggests another measure of success may prove just as important: whether Universal can create one of Hollywood’s biggest new thrills without making the surrounding neighborhood feel like it’s permanently riding it too.