It's rather remarkable how far this particular ride has fallen over the years. Peak Space Mountain is arguably the 80s/early 90's RYCA-era version, with it's clean queue and fantasy/forward-looking post-show (complete with working Speedramp!
). The FedEx sponsorship really reduced the post-show to... something that was there. No real thought given to it outside of making sure there was a sponsor mention.
The other changes, as you described very well, have really brought this once-great attraction down to a level I don't care for. The in-queue games were maddening. I don't mind what's there now, it actually kind of fits. But even small things, like the warp-warp-warp music being turned off or poorly-timed in the first warp tunnel (the first one after load with the blue and white lights, whatever it's called) have diminished the experience. I'll ride it but the overall experience has been brought down so much that the level of enjoyment that I once had just isn't there, for the most part. And I say this as someone who loved this ride so much that he rode it 18 times in a row one morning in December of 1991. Ran there at rope drope. Ride, run around, ride again. Lather, rinse, repeat 17 times.
Oh, there I go again, having standards and expectations from pre-Iger Disney and not just enjoying things now because they are better than ever.
But the sentiment you described is exactly how I feel about it. It used to be *the* ride to end the day(night) on a high note. Now it would be more of a chore or checklist accomplishment at best. To think there was a time when you could get a full day at Epcot (with Horizons and original Figment still intact!) and then MK in the evening, hitting all the majors and most of the minors, with repeat standby rides on SM at the end. Good times.
