One of my favorite things to do is to plan "the perfect day" for my friends and family when we go to Disneyland. Since I bought my annual pass in 2015, I've been going to Disneyland about two times a month. I've tested out all different theories and countless "itineraries". What I've discovered is that most of the common tips are true. If you want the quickest wait times for the most popular rides, be there at rope drop (when Disney Cast Members officially drop the rope at entrances to the parks). If you want to hit up popular rides mid-day make sure you get a Fastpass for that ride (or expect to wait an hour +). If you want to eat at the most popular sit-downs, make a reservation in advance. Most of these are pretty intuitive. What's not as intuitive are what those most "popular" rides/eats/shows are at that particular time.
I feel like we’ve hit the jackpot with the food at Disney California Adventure. The food is spectacular and I regularly crave more than one item there. Again, there is still SO much I haven’t gotten to eat but what I have eaten is to die for.