'Fast & Furious' Coaster Most Likely Replacing Rip Ride Rockit
Who ya gonna call? Apparently not the Ghostbusters. New evidence and permits points to a Fast & Furious ride, and frankly, it's a major letdown
ORLANDO, FL – The project to replace the former Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios Florida has taken a significant step forward, as new reports indicate manpower is being shifted to the construction site, and detailed permit images reveal a clearer picture of the attraction's potential layout. These developments strongly support the theory that the new coaster will be themed to the Fast & Furious franchise with a new entrance located in a formerly backstage area.
Recent activity shows that resources are being moved from work around Soundstage 33 to the "Rocket Project," the internal name for the coaster replacement. This shift suggests Universal is ramping up construction, making the new attraction a top priority.
This increased focus aligns with permit images that have been uncovered, outlining the full scope of the project. A graphic, analyzed and shared by theme park analyst Scott Walker, synthesizes these permits, showing a new guest flow and building configuration.
As seen in the images, the plan involves creating a new entry courtyard behind the existing New York facades. Guests would access this area via a path to the left of the New York Central Library facade. This path would lead to a large, new building—believed to be the ride's station and queue—which is detailed in the permits as being warehouse-themed (because of course it’s warehouse-themed as all F&F attractions MUST be).
This layout supports the leading theory that the new ride will be an Orlando version of the "Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift" coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood. The warehouse theme is a staple of the franchise's aesthetic, and details on the "guest facing side" of the building in the permits appear to match design elements of the building in Hollywood.
This configuration would mean the coaster launches from the back of the park, a major shift from Rockit’s former station, which was located near the park's entrance. The relocation of a backstage production warehouse, "Building 29," which was filed in a previous permit, appears to be the first step in clearing the land needed for this new courtyard and entrance path.
The proposed layout also solidifies the likely future for the iconic Ghostbusters firehouse. With the new coaster entrance moved backstage, the firehouse facade will no longer be obstructed by a ride track. It is widely expected that once the old track is fully removed, the facade will be restored and the original Ghostbusters sign will return, allowing it to serve as a prime photo op and meet-and-greet location.
Let's be candid. The opening of a state-of-the-art Fast & Furious coaster effectively signs the death warrant for the Supercharged ride. The attraction, which opened in 2018 to a deeply underwhelming reception, is widely considered one of the biggest creative missteps in the park's recent history. Having two attractions based on the same intellectual property—one a high-speed, outdoor thrill machine and the other a slow-moving simulator where guests watch screens from inside a "party bus"—is not just redundant; it's bad show.
The closure of Supercharged is no longer a matter of "if," but "when." This inevitability creates one of the most exciting speculative opportunities in years. Universal will soon have a massive, soundstage-style show building in a prime location in the San Francisco area, free and clear for a new experience. This isn't about a small snack stand or a photo op; this is about a large-scale attraction. The question is: what will they do with this prime piece of real estate?
The most elegant, and thematically brilliant, solution is one that has been whispered about in fan circles for years: a Knight Bus ride.
At first, the idea of placing another Wizarding World attraction so far from Diagon Alley seems counterintuitive. But the Knight Bus, by its very nature, is the perfect magical bridge. It is a vehicle that exists to traverse the space between the magical world and the Muggle world of London (or in this case, a San Francisco street that looks an awful lot like it). Its entire purpose is to be out of place. It’s a thematic loophole large enough to drive a triple-decker bus through.
Imagine the ride experience. Guests would board the iconic purple bus, perhaps greeted by an animatronic Stan Shunpike and the interactive shrunken head. The ride itself would be a wild, chaotic simulator—or even a trackless dark ride—careening through the streets of London. Using a combination of physical sets and advanced screen technology, buildings would stretch and squeeze out of the way, beds would slide across the floor, and the bus would make its signature, physics-defying leaps through traffic. It would be a high-energy, wildly fun C- or D-ticket attraction that perfectly captures the frantic energy described in The Prisoner of Azkaban.
From a business perspective, the logic is undeniable. It would give Universal Studios Florida a third Harry Potter ride, a massive marketing win that would draw crowds to that corner of the park and further solidify the resort as a primary destination for fans of the franchise. It would be an instant hit.
Of course, the Knight Bus isn't the only possibility. The other major fan-favorite IP waiting in the wings is Ghostbusters. After the almost certain disappointment that the Rockit replacement will not be a Ghostbusters coaster, placing a proper attraction in the Supercharged building would be the ultimate consolation prize. The San Francisco setting is a perfect stand-in for New York, and the massive show building is more than capable of housing a large-scale, trackless dark ride. Guests could be recruited as new Ghostbusters, armed with Ecto-Plasmic Blasters, and sent on a chaotic mission through haunted hotels, libraries, and city streets, culminating in a showdown with a massive spectral entity.
While other, smaller ideas could be considered—a year-round horror experience from Blumhouse, for instance—they lack the broad, multi-generational appeal and drawing power of The Wizarding World or Ghostbusters. Universal will be looking for a major crowd-pleaser to replace a major dud.
The eventual closure of Fast & Furious – Supercharged is a foregone conclusion. The new coaster will make it obsolete. But its demise will create an opportunity to fix a long-standing problem and give the park a much-needed boost. Whether they choose the magical chaos of the Knight Bus or finally give the Ghostbusters a proper home, the transformation of that show building will be the next major project to watch. The new coaster may be the first domino to fall, but the one that follows could be even more exciting.