Brian everyone has different opinions of how to do the parks. From what I understand you have three days, maybe 3 1/2, for me and I just did a fri, sat and sun late jan/ early feb. I will say I had EE. One EE day we hit fantasyland, then tomorrowland. The other EE day we hit tomorrowland then if we want fantasyland. If fantasy first we hit pp, dumbo and Alice, then all the others, be at storybook right when it opens at park opening, since we find this a long line. If tomorrowland we hit space, star tours, buzz and subs, then hit autotopia right when park opens. Matterhorn can fit in either day. If it is very low attendance we then go into the other land. After the park opens, and we got off that ride we hit when park opened, so about 9:10 we head to splash, then go down the row, splash, HM, POTC, Indy and jungle cruise, we find we get on everything with little to no wait except maybe Indy, which may be a 20 min wait by the time you get there. We usually send a runner to get BTM before we get on Indy, if you think it is real crowded, pick up an Indy FP as you start up to splash by the time you get back down it will be about time. With this plan, we almost always are done by noon and ready for a nap, swim and lunch. Then we head back in at night to do things a second time, it really starts to die down when the second show of F! Is done and a lot of things can be walk on, so when we go back in around 5, we leisurely walk around, take in shows on Main Street, can finish a few rides in fantasyland which usually don't get long lines, like toad, pin, and Snow White. Get a desert, go to tiki room. By then It is time for fireworks, parade and/or F!. After that we hit splash, HM, POTC again, not to much of a wait. Never Indy twice, I'm with you, once each visit is enough. If on the other side do space, Star Wars, buzz again. Then the monorail to dtd.
On our DCA day, again we have EE, so we do RS, I would not miss it, I like it but sont love it, but that's because I like test track in WDW much better. Personal preference. Then we head to toy story, and scream, then walk around the pier doing everything. We then get a fast pass to soaring, eat lunch, do soaring. Then leave for our swim, nap and what not. Then when we come back we get a tower of terror pass and do monsters, sing along with Elsa and anna if you want, maybe crush if you want, then it's time for fast pass. And line up for WOC.
We have always been able to get on all big rides at least once each day, and many times two or three times. People who say why get a room at dlh, well it's for EE, we have always been able to get on RS, toy story three times, and maybe screaming once or twice before the park even opens, and when it is open we are already in line for soaring, or Olaf before the crowds. But this plan also works very well if you don't have EE. Just remember that FP are best used for the longest lines, space, splash and Indy,at DL, and RS, tot and soaring at dca, I would say toy story but I dont think they have a FP, they do in WDW but not DL and I always mix them up, but if they do, get one for toys and forget tot.
Hope this helps. I am your age, I wish I could experience if for the first time at 25, but my mom is a Disney fan and I have gone at least yearly since I was a baby, quite a task since I was raised by a single mom. I'll now have to thank her and tell her how much I love her, thanks a lot. This year do to really bad illnesses in the family last year we are going to try to make it four times. We went jan/feb, we will go april, middle aug, and at least once more in oct, maybe even and early dec.
