Jurassic Park Ride to Close, Jurassic World Ride to Roar

If you've never witnessed two large dinosaurs go at it on the big screen, mano a mano, or rather claw a claw, well, you've never seen a dinosaur movie.

For mega scaly prehistoric creatures have had some mighty showdowns in the cinema, for sure.

But there shall be no such clawfest at a certain dino-riffic theme park come the start of September, when one ride based on a dinosaur film stomps off, making way for another ride based on a dinosaur film from the same dinosaur universe.

"Jurassic Park — the Ride," a celebrated and splash-tastic attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood, is roaring its last roar over the summer of 2018 before shuttering ahead of construction of the "Jurassic World Ride."

That ride, inspired by the newer films from the universe first imagined by author Michael Crichton, will debut in 2019.

Dinosaur evolution is an area of deep study for many scientists, but dinosaur ride evolution?

You can almost count the days: "Jurassic Park — the Ride" will remain open through Labor Day 2018, while "Jurassic World Ride" will stomp onto the former ride's footprint just a handful of months later.

Feel free to insert your own dinosaur footprint quip here. 

The next incarnation of Jurassic-style fun and scares will be even "... more immersive and technologically advanced," the theme park revealed in the Thursday, May 10 announcement.

Whether the new ride'll bring the same soak-you-through splashes and iconic, ride-ending jump remains veiled in the mists of not-so-far-off future. 

Also, if you visit the the park beyond Sept. 3 but before the new ride opens? Keep in mind that the ride's gift shop, Jurassic Outfitters, and the Jurassic Cove restaurant, will close during the ride's construction.

A few things, as quick as a raptor runs:

1. "Jurassic Park — the Ride" opened in June 1996, about three years after the first blockbusting, Steven Spielberg-helmed flick. How many times have you been on the ride since it debuted? More importantly, how many times did you wear a slicker?

2. There are three evening parties at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 11, 12, and 13 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the movie. Costumes and props on display, possible actor sightings, screenings, and more roar-able high jinks are on the roarster.

Er, we mean roster.

3. If you're not wondering, from now through the ride's closing, what will happen to the attraction's most famous dinosaur, well, please review your dino-based daydreams.

So many people can recall the terror they felt up on first encountering this particular animatronic figure, so much so that it has become almost like a living, breathing local superstar.

Make that a living, breathing local superstar with scales and huge teeth.

Thank goodness, though, it has remained inside the ride all of these years. What happens after Sept. 3, though? Will that fearsome T. Rex be released to roam the streets of LA when they finally turn off the lights?

That's some delicious nightmare fodder for those who adore the 22-year-old ride and eagerly anticipate its next chilling chapter.