Major work is taking shape across Universal Orlando. During our latest visit, we spotted steady progress on the new CityWalk venue, Category 10, as construction work continues to transform the waterfront. At Universal Studios Florida, the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster recently reached a notable milestone, with the spike now topped.
We also noticed additional Halloween Horror Nights preparations ahead of next month’s event, with more trusses and other infrastructure appearing throughout the park. Beyond that, we came across several other changes across Universal Orlando during our visit. Here’s a look at everything we found.
TOC
Signage Arrives for New Five Guys Location
Advertising has now been placed on the entrance doors for the upcoming Five Guys location at CityWalk. The restaurant is scheduled to open later this summer, replacing the former Burger King Whopper Bar, which closed in late April. Despite the closure, Burger King Whopper Bar signage has not yet been removed.
Construction Progress on New Category 10 Venue
Construction walls first went up along the CityWalk waterfront between the Lone Palm Airport bar and the Cinnabon kiosk in early June. Last week, the walls were updated with promotional artwork for the upcoming Category 10 venue from country music star Luke Combs.
Looking across the waterfront toward the construction site, noticeable progress has been made since our last photo update. Construction equipment has arrived, demolition is underway on the former Dockside Bar, and site preparation work has begun as crews ready the area for vertical construction.
The Universal Orlando location will be the third Category 10 venue and is currently slated to open in late 2027. Plans include a three-story, approximately 33,000-square-foot venue featuring dining, a bar, and live entertainment.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift Hits Another Construction Milestone
Construction continues to advance rapidly on the upcoming Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida. Before taking a look at the latest construction progress, we noticed new promotional artwork has recently been added to the construction walls in CityWalk.
Now, let’s take a look at the construction itself, beginning with the section beside Hard Rock Cafe, which has seen the most noticeable progress. Since our last update, crews have installed numerous track sections, and the coaster’s 170-foot vertical spike has reached a major milestone with the final track piece now in place, topping it off. A U.S. flag and a flag celebrating the Fast & Furious franchise’s 25th anniversary are currently flying from the top of the structure. Coaster trains will race up the vertical spike while twisting, before descending back down the same element.
Here are a few additional views of the track and support work at the same construction site.
Additional track has also been installed beside the Music Plaza Stage. From there, the coaster will race behind the stage before entering the attraction’s main layout next to Hard Rock Cafe.
Here’s a look at the work taking place to the right of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. This area will house the coaster’s station, located in the New York section of the park behind the firehouse façade. As we previously covered, the firehouse façade also appears to be undergoing restoration to close off the opening once used for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, better restoring its original appearance when it served as the entrance to Ghostbusters Spooktacular.
Halloween Horror Nights Prep Work Expands
Additional elements are being installed throughout Universal Studios Florida as early setup for Halloween Horror Nights is underway. Among the initial preparations, we saw a stage being set up in the New York area, along with truss structures appearing near Gramercy Park and Sting Alley.
In the San Francisco area, we saw truss structures and smaller stages being set up. We’re not sure whether this setup is intended for a scare zone or if Universal will follow last year’s approach, where the area was used for a street experience featuring a DJ and dancers instead of a traditional scare zone.
A new truss was also placed at the London waterfront.
Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights officially begins on August 28, with Premium Scream Night taking place the night before on August 27. You can use our free Halloween Horror Nights planning guide for full event details, tips, a touring plan, and other resources to help you make the most of your visit.
Construction Walls Go Up at Horror Make-Up Show
Construction walls now block off the entrance to Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show. The attraction closed on May 12 for a reimagining, with the updated version scheduled to open later this year.
Five & Dime Receives New Universal Monsters Artwork
The Five & Dime at Universal Studios Florida has received new interior artwork celebrating more than 100 years of Universal Monsters.
Stay tuned to AttractionInsight.com and follow our social media channels for more Universal news and beyond.
