DH, DD15, DS11 & myself are flying out of Jacksonville, FL next Tuesday morning for our first ever trip to DLR. We will be flying back home on Easter Sunday. Now that it is "right around the corner", I'm getting a little panicky.
I'm freaking about the crowds due to it being spring break time of year. I'm worried we won't be able to do everything we want to do and see everything we want to see. We did invest in RideMax. I'm hoping it will be our saving grace.
I'm freaking about what effect the time difference will have and when it will hit us. Any tips on being prepared for this? Or, is it really not that big a deal?
We are WDW vets and have gone dozens upon dozens of times (we live a quick 2 hours away) so if this was a trip there, I wouldn't bat an eye. No worries.
I've scoured these boards and read so much I'm no longer absorbing it. My brain cells are at capacity (hopefully I won't be saying the same thing about the parks while at DLR!!!).
Please, DL Vets, put my mind at ease? Am I panicking over nothing?
I'm always so excited to hear when people are taking their first trips to
Disneyland!
I'm a Premium Annual Passport holder and am at Disneyland quite a bit (probably about twice a week). At this time, you can definitely feel the park being fuller and lines are longer than usual, but I wouldn't panic, especially given the length of time you'll be at the park.
Here are some tips I would give you (although, given you're a WDW vet, you might know this stuff already):
1) Get to the park early. If you're staying at one of the DLR hotels, you can do magic morning and get in an hour early. That's a great time to hit some of the rides that might have long waits or where the fast passes go quickly. Rides like Space Mountain and Indiana Jones tend to go quickly. I'd recommend going on one of them or Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (which has no fast passes) or even Peter Pan's Flight (the Fantasyland dark ride with the longest wait) first. But, generally, even when the park is fuller, you can get on a lot of rides within the first two hours that the park is open. I was there the other day and was able to take pictures in Central Plaza with the castle in the background and NOBODY is in the shot despite the mad rush of people seeming to come in.
2) Not all live entertainment is on the entertainment schedule. Check out what you want to see, but you can also ask cast members or stop by city hall to find out about other performances and their times.
3) If you're planning to eat at any restaurant requiring reservations, go directly to City Hall and use the phone to make reservations. You can make multiple ones during the course of your stay. If I may recommend two that you should absolutely try (and they both are table service and require reservations) -- The Carnation Cafe on Main Street for breakfast and Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square for either lunch or dinner. Their food is some of the best in the park and, while a little pricier, not cost prohibitive either. I think they're definitely worth going to on any visit to Disneyland.
4) If you like coffee, go to the Market House on Main Street. Keep your receipt and you get coffee all day long. And, believe me, a friend of mine kept going back all day long and they honor it.
5) If you need water, but don't want to buy it, go to First Aid near the Photo Supply store on Main Street. They have cold filtered water in their water fountain. You can bring a water bottle and fill it up all day long if you want.
6) Restaurants to avoid - Village Haus in Fantasyland and Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland. Village Haus is a mad house pretty much all the time because they have the kid friendliest food, but I've seen blood feuds start in wars for tables there. Rancho del Zocalo has a lovely eating area, but the food is just plain bad. And, if you're not from California, I don't want you thinking this is the way Mexican food tastes in California.
7) Attractions to avoid - Honestly, the only thing that drives me crazy is Innoventions in Tomorrowland. You can find yourself sucking up a lot of time in there and then coming out feeling empty. I'd only go here if you have nothing else to do or when the lines are just too long.
8) If you're going to California Adventure, be sure to get through the gates before opening and get yourself in queue with the mad rush heading toward Paradise Pier to go on the Toy Story Midway Mania ride. It is well worth racing people to get there, but that's the ride that everybody wants to go on and the line is always long (I've never been there without at least a 40 minute wait). But, it is worth it. If you do go this route, go the Ariel's Grotto way toward the park and do not go the long way past Mullholland Madness. It seems like you're avoiding the crowds, but, you're actually walking much farther. Other rides I love in California Adventure - California Screamin' (fast pass available), Grizzly River Run (fast pass available), Tower of Terror (fast pass available), Soarin' Over California (fast pass available), Mullholland Madness (it seems like a kiddie ride, but it's crazy and is actually like driving on Mullholland Drive, fast pass available), and Mike & Sulley to the Rescue (no past pass). Also be sure to go into the Disney Animation building and check out Turtle Talk with Crush and walk through the Sorceror's Workshop. And, Muppetvision 3-D is a favorite. The Aladdin show is also fun.
9) Parades - In Disneyland, they have a new "parade" call "Celebrate! A Street Party!" Although, it's not really a parade, but something that stops at key points and then they have a show. If I can make a recommendation, pick a day you're going to watch the parade and then invest the time to sit down for a couple of hours to reserve space. I would recommend any place on the Disneyland Emporium side of Main Street between the Elias Disney widow (closer to the Emporium) and the Penny Arcade. Also, I'm sure they have something similar at WDW, but, if you have the chance, get in front of the castle for the fireworks at 9:25 each night. It's truly magical to watch it in front of the castle and they project all kinds of stuff choreographed to the music. You can probably get to Central Plaza around 8:30 and still get in front of the castle. People will be sitting at first, but, mill around and at 9:10, cast members will force everybody to stand up and you'll be able to get in. At California Adventure, there is a ledge near Blue Cellar near the winery across from "It's A Bug's Land." If you get there about an hour early, you should be able to sit up there and you get view of the parade and be able to sit.
Anyway, hope this helps you...enjoy yourself and have a great time. I'm so excited for you!
Like PP said, you've done your homework, so you're going in there informed, which is more than some of the crowds can say! Plus, DL is smaller than WDW, so hopefully you won't be overwhelmed. 
! 6:00am - I didn't even know there was such a thing!) Couple of shots of espresso or some very strong coffee and I can pretend to be a morning person with the best of them. Who knows when we may be able to make this trip again. DD & I can tough it out for a few days.
Have an awesome trip....
heading to seattle (from vancouver island)...the next morning, 
up at 2:30 am for our 6 am flight...well, by the time we landed in orlando, we were pretty tired (kids were 13,11, and 9) BUT thankfully you guys were 3 hours ahead, so 11 your time was 8 our time, and were we ever ready for bed...my kids adjusted perfectly, just hard to get up in the am (of course it was like i was getting them up at 4 am our time)...you guys will evening adjustments....you will be ready for bed at 8 pm
