Keep this to yourself....

we don't dare allow this info to get out to the bourgeois.

We stay at the Disneyland hotel... .which means you are allowed in the park one hour before it opens to the public. We always visit the parks for a minimum of two days, mostly 3. What this means...

We never wait in lines for any of the major rides. We can easily ride 4 of the the 'major rides' before the non-Disneyland Hotel visitors are allowed in... couple that with "Fast Pass" and we walk right onto to pretty much any ride we want until about noon. Then late... the lines die down and if we want a second ride, (and we usually do), it's a very short wait.

There is also a correct 'order' in choosing which ride and when... which is complex and requires years of experience... I won't go into that.

We eat snacks in Disneyland... like a Churro, an Ice Cream, a Candy Apple... but not full meals. We go back to the hotel for that.

Pardon me for giggling about you mentioning that you need a map... had to go tell my daughter just now that you said that. We laughed and laughed and laughed.... we know where every trash can is located, much less anything of real importance.

But here's a big BUT.... I think you describe it all very well, and I agree.