Just got back from the Happiest Place on Earth with my wife, two children (5 and 4) and another family of 4. We were at DCA on the 9th of November and DL for the 10th and 11th. Here is what I learned to hopeful help you save some time and maximize your enjoyment.
1. As everyone should know, get there early. We had great success trying to enter at gates 14 and 15 for DL where there is a tree that seems to confuse the line up. We were never first to get through but it really did cut down the time. I suggest lining up here and waiting for the gates to open and then sorting out the rush of humanity for the gate.
2. I ran to Anna and Elsa's meet and greet. Not my proudest moment, but it was a lot of fun. It worked well on a magic morning and I would recommend being on the left to middle part of the masses on main street. The line up is broken into two parts with the both positioned to the left of the carousel. The closest line to the castle is for the first twenty or so people who have their families following shortly behind to line up for immediate entry. I went to the other line just past that to get a fast pass. You do not need all members of your party there but you do need their park passes and you ABSOLUTELY need to have them scanned at the entry for the park. Without them having gone through the gate already you can not redeem them for a fast pass and you will be turned away. I saw it a lot. Anyways, I went to the fast pass line as the rest of my group went to do NEMO. The first return time is for 30 minutes after the start of the day, including the magic morning time. So for us MM started at 8 and my return time was 8:30 to 8:50. They told me they are actually pretty liberal with what time you can come back, but I didn't test it. Anyways, I collected my family, came back at 8:45 and walked straight in. No line up at all.
3. Get a Dole Whip by going into the Tiki Room rather than waiting outside of it with everyone else. They sell them on the inside as well. At some points during the day there will be 20 people outside in line and only a few on the inside.
4. We did Radiator Springs twice by getting a fast pass early in the morning and then returning after the ride with a return time on 5 to 6. Given that it was November it was already dark at 5:30 so we got it both during the day time and night time.
5. The height requirement for the rides that are 40 inches is 40 inches including your shoes. Had one child in our group who was 39 inches without shoes and he got on with his shoes on. Oh and make sure you teach your kid to breath in and reach their head up. Also, once they have done it a few times just send them to do it when you go to walk on. The cast members seemed to appreciate the initative.
6. Eat the pretzel offered throughout the park that is dipped in caramel, chocolate and M&Ms. Life changing.
7. Do Dumbo first. Everyone seem to have a plan to do Peter Pan and then Dumbo which makes the line up for Dumbo huge after about twenty minutes. I could see the people leaving one long line to then go to the other long line.
In all it was fabulous. Line ups wewren't too bad and we really used the fast pass to a great extent.
1. As everyone should know, get there early. We had great success trying to enter at gates 14 and 15 for DL where there is a tree that seems to confuse the line up. We were never first to get through but it really did cut down the time. I suggest lining up here and waiting for the gates to open and then sorting out the rush of humanity for the gate.
2. I ran to Anna and Elsa's meet and greet. Not my proudest moment, but it was a lot of fun. It worked well on a magic morning and I would recommend being on the left to middle part of the masses on main street. The line up is broken into two parts with the both positioned to the left of the carousel. The closest line to the castle is for the first twenty or so people who have their families following shortly behind to line up for immediate entry. I went to the other line just past that to get a fast pass. You do not need all members of your party there but you do need their park passes and you ABSOLUTELY need to have them scanned at the entry for the park. Without them having gone through the gate already you can not redeem them for a fast pass and you will be turned away. I saw it a lot. Anyways, I went to the fast pass line as the rest of my group went to do NEMO. The first return time is for 30 minutes after the start of the day, including the magic morning time. So for us MM started at 8 and my return time was 8:30 to 8:50. They told me they are actually pretty liberal with what time you can come back, but I didn't test it. Anyways, I collected my family, came back at 8:45 and walked straight in. No line up at all.
3. Get a Dole Whip by going into the Tiki Room rather than waiting outside of it with everyone else. They sell them on the inside as well. At some points during the day there will be 20 people outside in line and only a few on the inside.
4. We did Radiator Springs twice by getting a fast pass early in the morning and then returning after the ride with a return time on 5 to 6. Given that it was November it was already dark at 5:30 so we got it both during the day time and night time.
5. The height requirement for the rides that are 40 inches is 40 inches including your shoes. Had one child in our group who was 39 inches without shoes and he got on with his shoes on. Oh and make sure you teach your kid to breath in and reach their head up. Also, once they have done it a few times just send them to do it when you go to walk on. The cast members seemed to appreciate the initative.
6. Eat the pretzel offered throughout the park that is dipped in caramel, chocolate and M&Ms. Life changing.
7. Do Dumbo first. Everyone seem to have a plan to do Peter Pan and then Dumbo which makes the line up for Dumbo huge after about twenty minutes. I could see the people leaving one long line to then go to the other long line.
In all it was fabulous. Line ups wewren't too bad and we really used the fast pass to a great extent.
Frolicing is allowed in 
