Guests speak out about one of the most controversial rides at Universal Studios.
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There’s no denying that the Universal Orlando Resort is home to some of the most iconic and cherished theme park rides and locations in the world. Attractions like E.T. Adventure, Revenge of the Mummy, and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man have entertained and thrilled guests for decades, taking their rightful places in theme park history.
However, for every three or four incredible rides, there is usually one underwhelming one, and few theme park attractions have garnered as negative a reputation as Fast & Furious—Supercharged.
This motion-simulator/dark ride hybrid has been the bane of many guests’ existence since it first opened in 2018. While based on a fast-paced, high-octane action adventure franchise like Fast & Furious, Supercharged is the exact opposite. Instead of taking guests on a thrilling high-speed chase in an exotic sports car, riders are invited to hop aboard a slow-moving tour bus that takes them through a massive screen-based experience.
Screen-based attractions are certainly controversial on their own, but Supercharged suffers for more reasons than just its format, with its story and production value also being heavily criticized by guests. This negativity translates into online spaces, with one fan recently calling out Supercharged and its cast of real-life actors.
“I know Fast & Furious Supercharged is an embarrassment, but…” reads a new Reddit post on the official Universal Orlando community page. “Do the cast of the series know?” continues the user. “Like, has anyone ever come across a tweet or post where the cast talks about the ride being a pile of Kong dung?”
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These comments and questions garnered a flurry of responses from the rest of the theme park resort’s online community. The overwhelming majority of guests agreed that Supercharged was a disappointing experience. However, users also doubted that the cast of the actual Fast & Furious films cared about the attraction’s reputation.
“As long as the checks from the movies clear, I don’t think they care too much. It’s not like the F&F movies are high-brow cinema anyway,” said one user.
“I mean… I not exactly sure how they could make it better given the ride system,” said another.
Fast & Furious—Supercharged is easily the most controversial and unpopular attraction currently featured at the Universal Orlando Resort, and as such, the ride has become a joke within the community.
“It’s worse than Kong, and that’s an insane statement because they’re both absolute garbage,” said another user. “I seriously have no idea how both of the rides got approved. There is so much you could have done with F&F, but they chose the corniest script and ride. Honestly, like you said, it’s an embarrassment.”
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Fans have taken issue with the ride over the years, primarily because its core theme is unfitting according to some. For a ride based on the Fast & Furious franchise, Supercharged is unbelievably slow.
Fans have called the attraction “boring,” “lazy,” and “cheap,” with some hoping Universal gives Supercharged a retooling.
In 2021, Universal Creative Senior Vice President and CCO Thierry Coup stated that approving Supercharged in Florida was “the biggest mistake of [his] career.” Below is an excerpt from the ride’s official description at the Universal Orlando location:
Join the crew for an immersive Fast & Furious experience. Step into an amazing re-creation of the crew’s headquarters filled with actual movie props and supercharged vehicles you’ve only seen on the big screen. Ride along with Dom, Letty, Hobbs and Roman on a street chase in the middle of the high-octane world of the Fast & Furious blockbuster films.
When you’re in the ride queue, you can access the Fast & Furious – Supercharged
Network through the Official Universal Orlando Resort App. Meet the team, get car stats and test your Fast & Furious knowledge. Race up the leaderboard and compete in trivia matches. Unlock messages from the crew. And take a personality quiz to discover your true ride
Despite its rather sour reputation, Fast & Furious-Supercharged is located at both the Universal Orlando Resort and the original Universal Studios Hollywood Resort. Both versions of the ride offer a similar experience, one that continues to leave guests confused and disappointed.
Universal is sticking with Fast & Furious despite all this and is currently developing a new ride based on the franchise at its Hollywood resort.
Dubbed Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift, this new ride, a roller coaster this time around, will likely deliver the thrills and adrenaline fans had hoped to see from a ride based on the Fast & Furious franchise. An opening timeline for the new roller coaster is unknown at this time, but progress is being made quickly on what will likely be the West Coast’s equal to Universal Orlando’s award-winning Jurassic World VelociCoaster.
This Jurassic Park/World-themed roller coaster debuted at Universal Orlando in 2021, forever changing not just the Florida theme park landscape but the industry as a whole. Over three years later, guests still sing the praises of VelociCoaster, which offers an intense, white-knuckle adventure unlike anything Universal has developed before.
Below is a brief description of Jurassic World VelociCoaster:
Jurassic World VelociCoaster is the fastest and tallest launch coaster in Florida. At the very start of the ride, you’ll launch 70mph in just 2.4 seconds through the Raptor paddock, barely missing the Raptors and being way too close for comfort
Speeding through the jungle, rising high above the terrain, it’s the apex predator of roller coasters: the Jurassic World VelociCoaster. Now you can board your vehicle for a high-speed dash through the park’s raptor paddock. Feel the rush of the hunt as you race alongside these nimble predators, twisting and soaring above the land and water. Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Of course, Jurassic World VelociCoaster is one of many roller coasters featured at Universal Orlando. The resort’s best thrill ride arguably is Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Once again, taking guests on a Harry Potter-inspired adventure, Hagrid’s blends multiple ride systems and effects together to create one incredibly immersive and compelling experience.
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Many guests are looking ahead to Epic Universe, Universal Orlando’s upcoming third theme park, with the hope that even better and more advanced rides will make their debut. Announced over five years ago, the exciting new expansion has continued to expand its footprint in Florida, with the final touches now being placed ahead of its opening day.
Epic Universe will open on May 22, 2024, a day that will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most important days for the theme park industry. Not only will Epic Universe move the needle forward in terms of technology, but the new theme park is also advertised as Universal’s most action-packed and immersive yet.
Anchored by numerous world-famous franchises, such as Harry Potter and Super Mario, Epic Universe will likely become a popular spot for families due to its vast selection of rides, attractions, shows, and other experiences.
“Universal Epic Universe offers different worlds for everyone,” says Universal about the upcoming theme park. “Step through amazing portals transporting you to the excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe and Celestial Park. Five immersive worlds. One amazing theme park.”
“With four amazing theme parks, Universal Orlando Resort now offers a complete week of vacation excitement. Experience Universal Epic Universe with select Epic Universe tickets on sale now. Opening May 22, 2025.”
For more information about Epic Universe, click here.
Perhaps one of the most exciting and impressive parts of Epic Universe is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, one of the park’s big “E-ticket” attractions. Following in the footsteps of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, another classic Universal Studios ride, Battle at the Ministry seeks to reinvent what an immersive dark ride looks and feels like.
Not only will guests encounter impressive screen-based projections, but they will also fly through real sets filled with practical effects and convincing animatronics.
Animatronics will be a key part of the Epic Universe experience, with Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment featuring over a dozen state-of-the-art mechanical figures, each equipped with unprecedented levels of articulation and movement.
What’s your least favorite ride at Universal Studios? Are you excited to visit Epic Universe?
The post Fans Push Back Against “Garbage” Universal Studios Addition, “It’s an Embarrassment” appeared first on Inside the Magic.
