# Toluca Lake Resident Roy P. Disney Accuses Universal of Permit Violations as Coaster Screams Draw Angry Crowd
More than 350 neighbors confronted Universal Studios Hollywood executives over the screams from the new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster. Toluca Lake resident Roy P. Disney, great-nephew of Walt Disney, argued the ride violates Universal's land-use permits.
# Toluca Lake Resident Roy P. Disney Accuses Universal of Permit Violations as Coaster Screams Draw Angry Crowd
TOLUCA LAKE, Calif. — Walt Disney's great-nephew stepped into a neighborhood fight Wednesday night, arguing that Universal Studios Hollywood's newest roller coaster violates the studio's land-use permits, in a dispute that has turned a local noise complaint into one of the most unusual chapters in the decades-long Disney-Universal rivalry.
Roy P. Disney, who lives in Toluca Lake, made his argument during a closed community meeting at Universal's Stage 7, where more than 350 residents gathered to demand action over the screams that have echoed off the studio hillside since the park opened its new attraction, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, on September 16.
"I would argue this is in violation of [Universal Studios'] land usage permits," Disney told the crowd.
His remarks did not constitute a formal finding, and Disney spoke as a resident and family member, not as a representative of The Walt Disney Company. Still, his involvement has drawn attention to a dispute that began as a routine neighborhood noise complaint.
The coaster is a 4,100-foot outdoor attraction that reaches 72 mph and delivers forces up to 3.6 Gs, with four launches and rotating ride vehicles. Universal has called the ride "a literal game changer."
But neighbors say the problem is not the mechanical roar of the coaster. It is the riders.
Residents at the meeting described hearing screams every 20 to 40 seconds, which they say adds up to roughly 1,000 screams a day and 365,000 a year. One resident, a composer, said he can no longer work from his home. Others noted that most of the houses in the neighborhood predate the park.
The group projected a quote from Dr. Luc Arnal, an expert on the science of screams, describing chronic environmental noise as a public health concern associated with annoyance, sleep disturbance, stress-related physiological responses, and increased cardiovascular risk.
Three Universal executives, including Steve Blum, executive vice president of engineering and safety, told the crowd that the studio is taking steps to reduce the noise.
The park said the coaster will not operate between 8 and 9 a.m. through the end of 2026, even when the park opens as early as 7 a.m. for thrill riders. The park also plans to install a temporary barrier containing more than 1,900 square feet of sound-absorbing material. If the barrier proves effective, Universal would need to apply for permits to make it permanent.
The company said it considered other options, including helmets with face and scream shields and fully enclosed ride vehicles, but rejected them due to concerns about helmet security and emergency evacuations. Universal also said it may adjust how the coaster's rotating vehicles face, noting that riders are already turned away from Toluca Lake during portions of the ride most likely to generate screams.
The meeting, which required an RSVP and was closed to the press, turned heated during the question-and-answer period. One resident demanded that the screams be eliminated within a year. As voices rose, Blum offered a quip: "We could solve this tomorrow if you all want to wear noise-canceling headphones."
Residents responded with "How dare you?" and "That is so insulting." Security was on hand, and one attendee described the atmosphere as turning "hostile."
"The burden of proof should not be entirely on us because you're counting on our exhaustion," one attendee said.
Disney and Universal have spent decades competing for theme park guests, but this dispute has moved beyond attendance numbers, ticket prices, and the size of the next attraction. It is about what happens when the effects of a park ride extend past the gates and into the homes of neighbors.
Universal said it is actively pursuing solutions. Residents, who gathered in force Wednesday night, believe more needs to be done and faster.
With the temporary barrier installation scheduled to begin and a long operating restriction in place through year's end, the coming months will determine whether the studio can quiet the hillside that overlooks one of Hollywood's oldest neighborhoods.
This article was generated with AI assistance.