Of course you can get by. Especially now with magic bands. However, it's been a long time, but the locker rooms at Typhoon Lagoon use to be extremely clean, cool and incredibly no smells. Normally locker rooms were places that I avoided at all cost, though the one at Typhoon Lagoon was totally different. Not having to keep up with anything, other than a key and a towel was very convenient. The answer to your question is probably no.
Rides to ride first. At rope drop, everyone normally races to put their towels down on chairs and the races to the water coaster. That's probably the best idea. However, on the other side of the park, right past Ketchakiddee Creek, there are 3 tube slides that are our favorites. Keelhaul falls, Mayday falls and Gangplank falls. For some reason, people will ride the first one they come to from Ketchakiddee creek which is Keelhaul falls, or Glangplank falls coming from the other direction. Mayday falls, the one in the middle, always has the shortest line. I rode it over and over again, many times without any line at all, while watching the other 2 having much longer lines. All three are basically the exact same ride.