I don't know if I'd go so far as to think of me as any sort of DL "expert".... I'm just an enthusiast with young kids who is just barely at the fringe of distance where I'll go on a whim.
Having issued the customary disclaimer (above)... I'll now reply by saying I could NOT have siad it better then DAN from San Jose as quoted above. However, I'll add... that we like DL and CA for different reasons. If you're looking to do ONE day in the park... I would offer the following semi-common sense suggestions for an "out of towner":
1) You're better off getting in as early as is comfortable - and hustling over to your highest priority attraction... but PLEASE hustle over and about without STRESSING your party or others about you. This is the "Happiest Place on EARTH",... so lets' keep it that way.
2) It might be worth while to swing by AT THAT TIME and nab a FAST PASS on that favorite ride too. It should allow you to reenter as a Fast Pass holder within the hour ... but SAVE IT. Although it might say valid to enter 8:15 to 9:15AM... it is still honored AFTER 9:15! And you can ONLY get a fast pass IF you are holding a fast pass that is coming up in terms of time. IE, If you are holding a fast pass that runs 8:15-9:15 then you'll have to wait until AFTER 9:15 to get anoeht fast pass elsewhere. SO you can quickly nab a fast pass to be saved until later use when it is busy in the park. AND you might quickly accumulate 2 or 3 or up to 4 fast passes that will EASE your wait in lines during the middle of the day when the crowds might become PUNISHING.
3) You are permitted to bring SOME types of food into the park. During busy times the lines for food can be ANNOYING. Most of the dining is slightly above reasonably priced IMO... but still... I'd say it's priced about right for what you get WHERE you get it. HOWEVER.... I tend to try to shave a dime here and there while saving something more precious.... TIME. SO ... we pack fruit... cut fruit... obviously home made sandwiches and .... we carry in packets of HOT COCO, and sometimes we bring granola bars and fruit roll ups. Plus similar things like that. The folks SEARCHING bags out front will NOT permit restuarant made food into the park. They'll waive you aside - advise you - then suggest you sit over to the side and eat it NOW.
So... for making hot coco... there are a couple of convenient places to get hot water with no fuss - no wait - and no cost. Well... no cost is what you'll encounter anywhere in the park for hot water... however... to walk up and help yourself... my #1 spot is the PIZZA PORTAL in TOmorrow land. I walk in through the exit .... past the cash registers... and at the cofffee machines is a little RED HANDLED knob that is (I vaguely recall) marked HOT WATER. Take a FOAM INSULATED cup which is right in front of you ... fill it about 80% full and cover it). If you fill 100% you can scald yourself when capping the cup or if you splash a little walking about with it. SO I almost never fill it all the way. Sometimes the water is so hot I have to double the cups up too.
On the way out I say it's just plain hot water to the cash register folks IF one is open. Often there is a bit of a line to pay going out ... and I try to pick the shortest looking one... but more often I walk over to ANY EMPLOYEE who is near by and make a token mention I am just getting a little hot water (just like that)... and so on .... and it is quickly ACKNOWLEDGED as a FREE thing. And I walk out. With hot water you can make hot coco... and we've brought in cup of noodles (gotta hide that... I wrap it in a blanket...) or instant Chinese FISH porridge in a plastic bowl ... which my kids love. My circumstances are perhaps different in some ways... my kids will NOT eat a lot of the stuff they sell to eat in
Disneyland. They will ONLY eat the TURKEY LEG ($7) and once in a while ... Mac N cheese at a sit down place.
Looks like we're headed to DL and not CA then. .. Can't believe the parks are open from 8 AM until Midnight! Phew. .. I'll need the cruise to recover . . .LOL
. It will work, but definitely looks kind of funny since the front is too high up now. DH and MIL said I should take it back, but what can they do at this point?
I guess most of this stuff isn't going to be able to be packed until next weekend after another round of laundry. 
..real danger?...is the swabbie stepping...on stacey or lisa's
Luckily I found a good deal. And I can always just drive by myself if I can't get myself on that box with wings.
.
DH will enjoy seeing another one of the geeks on the cruise. 
