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Hollywood Drift Bunny Hop Track Installation Begins Beneath the 170-Foot Vertical Spike at Universal Studios Florida
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Hollywood Drift Bunny Hop Track Installation Begins Beneath the 170-Foot Vertical Spike at Universal Studios Florida

Michael Travels
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WDW News Today reports that supports for the "bunny hop" coaster element have been installed at Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift, and crews have started laying track on the bunny hop itself. This is a meaningful step beyond the spike rising story we covered on June 1: the launch-into-the-spike section is now taking physical shape.

Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift construction at Universal Studios Florida, showing the blue coaster support structures rising in April 2026 ahead of the bunny hop track installation in June 2026.
Hollywood Drift construction at Universal Studios Florida. Image: Inside Universal.

The headlines:

  • Bunny hop supports installed at Fast and Furious: Hollywood Drift, per WDW News Today.
  • Track installation has now started on the bunny hop itself.
  • The bunny hop is the series of small hills riders will take just before the 170-foot vertical spike.
  • Electromagnetic launch fins are expected underneath the bunny hop.
  • The 170-foot vertical spike was tracked rising in our June 1 coverage.
  • 2027 opening remains the target window per Mickey Visit and other industry trackers.

What the bunny hop is, and why it matters

The bunny hop is a coaster construction term for a series of small, low-to-the-ground hills that riders take in rapid succession. For Hollywood Drift, the bunny hop sits right before the 170-foot vertical spike that anchors the attraction's headline element.

Two technical details make this construction step meaningful:

  • Electromagnetic launch fins are expected to be installed underneath the bunny hop. These are the fins that accelerate the train into the vertical spike. Premier Rides, widely reported as Hollywood Drift's manufacturer, has used LIM/LSM launch systems on previous Universal coasters; the installation pattern is well-established.
  • Track installation on the bunny hop is a leading indicator for the rest of the launch-section construction. Once supports and track are in, the launch hardware (fins, sensors, cabling) typically follows in the next construction phase.

The Hollywood Drift timeline so far

  • March 2026: Major vertical construction visible from outside the park.
  • Mid-April 2026: Blue Hollywood Drift support structures visible at Universal Studios Florida, per Inside Universal coverage.
  • June 1, 2026: The 170-foot vertical spike begins rising (we covered).
  • Early June 2026: Bunny hop supports installed; track installation begins on the bunny hop.
  • 2027 (target): Hollywood Drift opens at Universal Studios Florida per Mickey Visit and other trackers.

What this means for the wider park

  • Universal Studios Florida visitors can see the Hollywood Drift support structure and increasingly the spike from multiple vantage points around the park.
  • The construction wall footprint is significant but manageable; the rest of USF remains fully operational.
  • Mega Movie Parade is running daily nearby (we covered the June 5 debut), so summer USF visits are absorbing a lot of new content.
  • If you're planning a 2026 USF trip, Hollywood Drift will not be open. If you're planning 2027, this is the project to track.

The summer Universal context

  • Mega Movie Parade is daily at USF with Back to the Future as the lead float (we covered the June 5 debut).
  • Me Ship, The Olive at Toon Lagoon reopened yesterday June 10 (we covered).
  • Hogwarts Always nighttime projection-mapping show returned May 30 at Hogwarts Castle.
  • Volcano Bay Nights next 2026 event night runs tomorrow Friday June 12.
  • Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure loses Universal Express July 1.

Quick planner notes

  • Hollywood Drift will not open in 2026. If a Universal trip is on your calendar this year, plan around the existing attraction lineup.
  • The construction is visible from multiple USF angles and pairs naturally with a Production Central walkthrough.
  • If you're a coaster fan tracking Premier Rides projects, the bunny hop track installation is a useful milestone to watch for visible launch-hardware installation in coming months.

Sources

Image credit: Inside Universal.

Mentioned in this story

Universal Studios Florida

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