Fast and Furious Supercharged at Universal Studios: Fantastic Ride or Big Flop?
Not every ride at every theme park is going to be a home run, and that’s okay. But a quick search on your favorite internet browser will pop up plenty of reviews panning Fast and Furious Supercharged as a foul ball.
But is it really that bad?
While we probably wouldn’t rank it as a must-do at Universal Studios, for fans of the franchise, it might still be worth the experience. We’ll cover everything you need to know about the Fast and Furious ride so you can decide whether to hop on the party bus or give it a hard pass.
Start your engines!
The Fast and Furious Come to Florida
The Fast and Furious is a film series focused on epic car chases, espionage, and family. The franchise has gained a cult following over the years and remains continually popular. (Solving international crises with cool cars? Heck yeah!)
Bringing it into the fold of Universal Studios Orlando made sense, and the ride opened in 2018, replacing the Disaster! attraction. Similar in design to Skull Island: Reign of Kong, the ride was highly anticipated by fans, however, its reception has generally been lukewarm.
Nevertheless, there are still positives about the ride that might make it worth a spin—at least once! Most fans praise the details of the queue, and while the ride’s storyline might be a tad cheesy, it’s still fun to feel like you are part of the family for a few minutes.
Crowd-Pleasing Queue
As you approach the Fast and Furious Supercharged queue, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into San Francisco. Housed inside a redbrick garage, it looks like your typical urban, downtown warehouse. (AKA dilapidated and deserted.) However, once inside, you’ll find yourself surrounded by gleaming supercharged cars, fancy parts and tools, Fast and Furious movie props, and beyond that, a top-secret “War Room.”
For fans of the franchise, this is probably the biggest highlight of the ride. You’ll definitely want to take a few snaps of the shining muscle cars and maybe even a selfie in “The Family Room” or “War Room,” just as proof you’re part of the group!
There are some fun little details to watch for as you walk along, including nods to past Universal rides. Two references commemorate rides that were previously located here— Disaster: A Major Motion Picture… Starring You! and Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue. There’s a jacket draped over a chair emblazoned with “Disaster Studios” and a toolbox with a sticker that reads, “This car runs on Beetle Juice.” You’ll also see the DeLorean’s license plate from Back to the Future (another former Universal ride).
There are also plenty of insider details for F&F film buffs, including an iconic cook-out scene, complete with half-empty bottles of Corona. (One bottle, you will notice, has been tilted over and poured out—this is in honor of the late actor, Paul Walker, and his character, Brian O’Conner.)1
The line for Fast and Furious Supercharged generally doesn’t take too long to get through, especially with the virtual queue. While you can opt for the traditional standby or single rider lines, there’s also the option to receive a return time, so you can skip the wait and get on with your day until it’s time to ride! (If the standby wait is going to be over 30 minutes long, the virtual queue is probably worth doing.)2
Oh, and while you’re in line, check out Universal’s in-app Fast and Furious Supercharged game—this trivia-style competition will pit your F&F knowledge against the rest of the guests around you!
Part of the Family
Before the ride starts, you’ll be treated to a fun pre-show that sets the stage for the ride and puts you face to face with some of your favorite Fast family members. Part of what makes it feel so real is a live actor interacting with both Mia and Tej via video chat!
Mia lets you in on the news that Dom’s won big again, and you’re invited to the celebration party. Welcome to the family!
Unfortunately, Dom himself then calls with bad news—the FBI is planning to bust up the party, and archnemesis Owen Shaw is skulking around, too. You’re quickly escorted to the party bus in hopes of staying out of the mess. (Yeah, right!)
As your bus pulls away into the San Francisco traffic, Hobbs is patched through—someone from the Federal Protection Program is on board your party bus, and they’re Shaw’s target! Everyone on board is in serious danger! Luckily for you, you’re part of the family now, which means you’re also under their protection.
As your party bus careens down the highway, you’ll witness an epic car (and helicopter!) chase, with Dom and Letty putting the pedal to the metal to outsmart Shaw and save the day. Don’t forget to buckle your seatbelt!
Riding Shotgun
So, what’s the ride really like? Well, in my opinion, it’s a bit like riding shotgun. You’re an observer of the action but not really at the heart of it. Your party bus has to steer out of the way and dodge incoming attacks, but ultimately, you’re just along for the ride. Dom, Letty, and Shaw are where the action is. I would love to have a simulation of being in one of their vehicles!
Nevertheless, your bus is supposed to be tearing down the highway at 100 miles per hour, which is still pretty exciting. Through clever usage of surrounding screens, nifty holograms, and motion simulation, you really do get the sense of zooming along.3 At one point, there’s a simulated drop that feels dangerously real, thanks to the visuals around you!
There are also guns, explosions, and car crashes, but I wouldn’t call the Fast and Furious ride scary, especially since it doesn’t go upside down or perform any crazy stunts. If you can handle watching F&F, you can handle riding it!
However, for some people, the lack of a truly wild ride is a letdown. While the franchise is fast and furious, the ride itself doesn’t feel nearly as zippy as its namesake. The graphics are immersive in that they surround the bus, but the quality is somewhat lacking in certain scenes. Additionally, the actual ride time is incredibly short compared to the preshow material.
So, with all of that in mind, should you give Fast and Furious Supercharged a chance?
If you’re a diehard F&F fan, it’s worth a ride just to have Mia welcome you to the family and see all of the cars. As long as you’re not expecting to get your adrenaline fix for the day and know it’s going to be a bit cheesy, I think it can be enjoyable.
Still, it’s not something I’d recommend to everyone. Don’t get me wrong—it’s a fun ride! It just doesn’t stack up to the rest of Universal’s amazing repertoire. So, if you’re not really a F&F fan, you can give it a pass unless you just need to kill some time. Otherwise, I’d try Skull Island: Reign of Kong instead—it’s the same ride format but executed a little more successfully.
There are rumors floating around online about future supercharged refurbishments for the Fast and Furious ride. If that’s true, I’m eager to see how the ride improves. There’s definitely some awesome potential for a truly heart-pounding experience!
What are your thoughts on Fast and Furious Supercharged? Would you give it a pass, or did it pleasantly surprise you? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
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