I never thought I'd say this out loud, but it really is a small world, after all. Then again, I never thought I'd be queuing up for the ride of the same name, which still draws one of the longest lineups amid the mad bustle of the Magic Kingdom, the epicentre of Walt Disney World.
But this time I'm here with Sydney, who is 4.
Sydney and her mom have been here once before, and It's a Small World clearly left a lasting impression on our little princess. She is quite willing to wait in line for yet one more spin of the six-minute boat trip through international waters, with thousands of singing dolls. Syd says It's a Small World is her favourite ride "because I know the words to the song." So, we wait.
To be honest, I found It's a Small World a little scary the first time I went through the ride, nearly 20 years ago, though that may have been because I was sitting with a group of reporters making wisecracks.
Believe me, Disney World becomes a different experience with a tireless four-year-old in tow.
Over years spent as a TV critic, I've been to Disney World to cover events from the launch of the Space Mountain ride to a taping of Wheel of Fortune. And there have been assignments taking me to Walt's original park in Anaheim, Calif., which is occasionally used by Disney-owned ABC for media events. You've never known cringing unless you've been forced to run a gauntlet of Disney cheerleaders, waving pompoms, in order to gain entrance to a press conference.
But this time I'm here with Sydney, who, like a few million other kids truly believes Disney World to be a real place. When Sydney came back from her first trip, she announced she was going to live there.
Planning a holiday or honeymoon at Disney World probably comes naturally for some people, but it never seemed like a prime destination for a cynical journalist. I had somehow managed to miss the first trip with Sydney, but you can only put off some passages into adulthood for so long.
And there really is no down season for Disney any more. Even with the torrid Florida heat, summer brings peak season for the four-park complex spanning 47 square miles - roughly the size of Ottawa. Disney doesn't release attendance figures, but more than two million Canadians make the pilgrimage to Florida each year, and for those with small children, the trip inevitably includes a stopover at Disney World. You try telling the kids they're going to drive by the happiest place on Earth.
And there are thousands of parents here today, many of them pushing multi-passenger strollers with unnatural patience. Most of the American families wear matching clothing and mouse ears. The Canadian visitors remain less conspicuous, usually identifiable only by Toronto Maple Leafs T-shirts and white legs.
Parents come here because their kids, like Sydney, know the words to Small World - and most likely know the words to the songs in the Disney films The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Snow White, The Jungle Book and Dumbo, all represented by attractions.
Like any normal kid, Sydney is rendered agog by it all. Finally coerced away from Small World, she doesn't care much for Peter Pan's Flight - "Too dark!" - and she's still a bit young for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
As before, and as always, the efficiency of Disney abounds - particularly in the Magic Kingdom, every inch of which is still steam-cleaned each night for guest purity; during the day, the park is patrolled by staff who collect stray rubbish with long metal tweezers.
Some elements of Disney World have been constants since the park opened in 1972. The classic characters Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, et al. are still available in designated locations, with each meet-and-greet invariably ending with the kids hugging the costumed character. It's an undeniably cute moment, at least if it's your kid. The moment is facilitated these days with the Disney PhotoPass system, which delivers the digital shots via e-mail; what might have seemed manipulative to me a few years ago now just seemed easier.
Similarly, I felt more cynicism melt away at Cinderella's Royal Table - a sit-down breakfast with a three-month wait list - where Sydney's eyes opened wide when she met the princess herself. The actress playing Cinderella was an exact double of the cartoon version, as were the actresses attired as Ariel, Jasmine and Belle, who floated from table to table.
Everything about visiting Disney World was smoother and slicker than I remembered. Another case in point: The popular Fastpass system, which allows patrons to book a ride hours in advance and is included in the park admission. And while the rides and attractions didn't register with me before, this time I had no choice: Sydney wanted to do it all.
There were at least a dozen additions to Disney World, which seems to connect to the broader Disney mandate of constantly expanding the vision.
"The challenge is to always create new experiences," says Bruno Jauernig, vice-president of marketing for Disney. "This is a fantasy world where fantasies come to life and people escape."
The sensory overload of Disney World only became apparent with a four-year-old. The same intense level of family entertainment on display in the Magic Kingdom plays out daily at EPCOT, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney-MGM Studios - 365 days a year.
It was remarkable, really: Each of the four parks was teeming with people, but everyone was polite, orderly and fully engaged by the experience. There were no enraged parents or crying kids anywhere in sight. Who throws a tantrum at Disney World?
And we tried to absorb as much of Disney World as possible in a few brief days, even though Sydney was tired and caught a cold. To her credit, she still marched right into Animal Kingdom to watch the Festival of the Lion King stage show. She bounced through the Kilimanjaro Safari, an extended open-vehicle ramble through an African savannah, with real lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses and orangutans.
Sydney demonstrated the same child's gameness during our early-evening sprint through the sprawling EPCOT. She pushed on the next day on our trek through MGM Studios when, finally, everyone's legs gave out right in front of One Man's Dream, located right next to the long and winding line for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid stage show.
There were fewer than a dozen people in the theatre to watch this unassuming attraction. Running all day, every day, it was an unadorned 20-minute film recapping Walt's brilliant career - his early failings, his creation of Mickey Mouse and his inspiration for Disney World (he just wanted someplace clean to take his daughters, apparently).
It was a pretty good film that provided a needed reminder of Disney days past. Midway through the presentation, I leaned over to make what I thought was a pertinent point - that Steamboat Willie was really Mickey Mouse - but it was no use. Little Sydney was fast asleep.
What's new at Disney
Disney World keeps evolving. Even long-standing attitudes are changing - it recently reversed policy on its Fairy Tale Wedding program to allow gay couples the right to celebrate. Now everyone can sing, "Some day my prince will come."
Animal Kingdom
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
A breakneck train ride through simulated high-altitude conditions. It includes glacier mist on your face and a terrifying yeti.
Finding Nemo - The Musical
It's a Broadway-style musical that features performers working fish puppets while performing original songs such as Fish Are Friends. The audience fills the enormous theatre five times daily.
Disney-MGM Studios
Extreme Stunt Show
The stunt-car show takes place in a 5,000-seat stadium. More proof that Americans love all things race car-related.
EPCOT
Turtle Talk with Crush
Another Nemo-themed attraction, it's a digitally enhanced show in which kids can interact with the stoner-turtle character.
MORE INFORMATION
Disney World: Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; 407-939-6244; disneyworld.ca