New scenic elements are being installed for the Fast & Furious drifting coaster at Universal Studios Florida, now that all of the track has been installed. At Epic Universe, prep work is starting for a new ride in Dark Universe. And the last remnants of Poseidon’s Fury are being erased as demolition on the attractions wraps up in The Lost Continent.

Let’s check in on the latest construction around Universal Orlando, as well as see what permits can tell us, in today’s news update. See the video version of this story below for additional visuals.

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Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift

Just as soon as all of the track and supports have been installed for the new coaster replacing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida we are already seeing the first pieces of theming being added around the ride.

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is set to open next year, and could become the fastest roller coaster at the Universal Orlando Resort when it does.

Just this week we’ve seen a new truck prop added onto the ride.

Located at the very beginning of the track, where the first launch will be, this appears to be the cab of a Peterbilt-style truck.

The truck will be facing the riders as they make their first launch into the ride.

Before this moment, trains will actually travel out of the station and toward the ride’s maintenance building. There they will launch straight out to kick off the ride, passing this truck on their right.

Framing for an arch can be installed above this first launch as well, located above the truck.

We do not know how this framed arch will be themed yet, but it could be themed as the back half of the semi-truck, with our cars driving under the jackknifed trailer behind the truck.

Above this area, the higher level track will be where riders will come back to the station at the conclusion of the ride, passing over this themed archway.

The final brake run can be seen here, wrapping around the station building for its return.

Elsewhere on the ride, here is a look over the Music Plaza Stage, where the rotating cars of the coaster trains will pass over twice, once at the start of the ride and again upon returning.

Pathways for Halloween Horror Nights have been retained for guests to travel under the completed track for this still under construction roller coaster when going to and fron haunted houses in the sound stages.

This will allow event guests to get their first up close looks at the ride.

Supercharged Finally Closed

Fast & Furious: Supercharged is now officially closed permanently at Universal Studios Florida.

The attraction had its final day of operation on August 16th and by the morning of August 17th its name had been physically scrubbed from the front of the building.

Originally announced to close next year in 2027, Universal changed their minds and closed it sooner, presumably as an act of mercy, (and because it usually closes seasonally for Halloween Horror Nights anyway).

A “One Last Ride” t-shirt was available for sale to mark its closure, and guests riding on the final day were given a “One Last Ride” car coaster.

Theme park fans are speculating on what will happen in this space in the future, with rumors for years of things like a Knight Bus ride, Back to the Future overlay, and more.

But lately, a rumor that has picked up steam, is for the a new ride based on the 2024 Twisters film.

That’s the current rumor for Universal Studios Hollywood’s tram tour segment replacement, so many believe it could be brought here in Orlando as well.

In Hollywood, many believe the 360 tunnel scene will be upgraded from projections to large scale LED screens as part of the debut of a Twisters tram scene.

None of this has been confirmed by the company, and while these rumors for Hollywood have been swirling in recent weeks, some in Orlando worry our big empty warehouse may instead just remain empty for a little while while the resort catches up on new projects for all of its parks.

Dark Universe Expansion Started

Land prep work is happening now at Epic Universe as Dark Universe makes way for its third ride.

Permitted as a three-story structure, the land behind Monsters Unchained is being dug out and reshaped now.

Trees were removed recently along a berm that used to help visually separate the area from the nearby Kirkman Rd. Today, that berm is being removed as the land is flattened to prepare the area.

In the latest aerial views from Bioreconstruct this week, we can see heavy equipment, trailers and containers, and a water truck have arrived to the site in just the past couple weeks.

The bins seen below have been placed in the empty lot, right next to the staged Monsters statues. These statues have been chilling in a field since they were removed from their perch in front of the former Monsters Cafe back in 2022.

The statues have been rumored to be relocated to the nearby Team Member grill, located behind The Burning Blade Tavern, and yet they remain sitting in the grass, even as the land around them is tore up for a new ride.

The workers seen in the area appear to have the Whiting-Turner logo on their vests.

That company is listed as the general contractor on permits related to this work.

Survey markers were added to the land earlier this month, ahead of what permits have called “early work purposes of a future attraction known as Project 680.”

Newer permits list the project as being for a three story structure featuring a “Ride Maintenance Bay on the first floor.” These permits also show the future building, labeled as Building 1570, as being 93,308 square feet in size, with 71,500 of that for tenant space.

Since the very first site plans for the Dark Universe area were approved early in the construction process for Epic Universe, this part of the land has always been marked off as “Expansion Phase 2,” and listed as being 3.34 acres in size.

Rumors of a Creature from the Black Lagoon ride for this part of the land have been around since before the theme park was even announced, but Universal isn’t talking just yet.

Curse of the Werewolf Update

Also in the same land, a new permit describes work for the pathway in front of the Curse of the Werewolf spinning outdoor coaster.

Posted just this week, the permit is for “Project 375 902C Test Seat.”

902 is the code for the Dark Universe land, and C is for C-Ticket, which the Curse of the Werewolf coaster is known as in documents.

And Project 375 was for installing new modified seating to accommodate larger body sizes. So far this project has included modified seating created for Hiccups Wing Gliders, Dragon Racers Rally, and Stardust Racers.

It appears that now new modified seating may be coming to Curse of the Werewolf?

The permit describes work as “Sidewalk alterations and owner provided accessory canopy and ride test seat installation.”

Event Space Construction

Across the park, work continues on the multi-purpose events building. Permits say this new structure, located in the Celestial Park section of the park, will house a large ballroom, catering kitchen, and multiple offices that will serve the park.

Construction is currently focused on areas near the back of the project, which will house the catering kitchen on the lower level, office space on the second floor, and roof access at the third level, seen on left of building in the photo below.

Below is an official rendering for how the final building will look, as included in permits submitted to the county. According to official documents, the roof of this large events space will be covered in solar panels.

The events space is theorized to mainly be used for private events, despite its prominent location within the park.

Lost Continent Demolition

At Islands of Adventure, the last remnants of The Lost Continent attractions are being erased now, with only a small central foundation left from the former site of Poseidon’s Fury.

This remaining circle of concrete was where the finale of the walk through show took place. Here in the final chamber of the temple is where screens of water, fire, and other special effects would come together to complete the attraction’s story.

Now, it is a tore up graveyard surrounded by piles of debris, with a view into a basement below the stage still visible before the rest can be dug up and carted away.

Holes leading down the level below grade can be seen nearby as well, many with temporary covers so no one falls in during this work, many labeled with the word “HOLE” in paint.

In front of the site of the former temple, the water features that used to be located in this area have been completely filled in.

The orange color fill was laid down and flattened out, preparing the land for future construction.

Across from here, located in front of the Mythos restaurant, a new bypass pathway has been poured.

Still surrounded by work walls, this new pathway will soon be used by park guests so that demolition can continue as more structures can be removed. This includes the shuttered Treasures of Poseidon gift shop.

Deeper into the land, new portable trailers have been set up and connected in the now empty lot near the former location of The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad.

This temporary trailer structure will become the park’s new health services building while work continues on prepping the area for a new land.

The former health services and first aid building, seen in the photo below at number 4, will be demolished.

The emergency access road that led to the original health services building will be moved, and a new permanent health services building is expected to be built.

This relocation will help free up more connected space within the center of the area, paving the way for the new land, whatever it may be, to be built afterwards.

Many believe this area is being replaced with Pokemon, but in true Universal fashion, no official announcements have been made.

For now, we will still have Mythos for dining through the end of the year. Servers at the fan-favorite restaurant say Mythos is slated to close in March of next year, but Universal has only confirmed 2027 so far.

That’s all for now, but subscribe to the news feed or enter your email below to never miss an update as we follow these projects around Universal Orlando. See the video version of this story for additional visuals.

A big thanks to Bioreconstruct for the incredible aerial views. You can follow him on YouTube and social media for more theme park photography.

Subscribe to the RSS feed or enter your email address below to never miss an update. Official Art: Universal Destinations & Experiences | Original Photos: Alicia Stella | Aerial Photos: Bioreconstruct | Permits: City of Orlando & Orange County Government | Other Images as Captioned

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