What do I do first?

If you have never been to Disneyland, haven't been for a really long time, or just get overwhelmed with all there is to do you may ask: What do I do first?
This is not a simple question to answer.  The possibilities are endless and there are many factors to determine, such as, how many days are you staying?  What are the ages of the people with you? and what types of attractions are most important to you? 
There are a few things to be aware of that may make the trip more enjoyable.  If you are traveling with young children your priority will most likely be to head to Fantasyland first.  For us this is a typical starting point.  Most park hopper passes include an Magic Morning entrance to the park that is good for Fantasyland and some Tommorowland attractions.  The Magic Morning entrance can be used once per visit and is only available on four days of each week, but the days do change so it is important to check the daily park calendar which you can do online at Disneyland.com up to 60 days before your arrival.  When we use our Magic Morning we head straight to Fantasyland and hop in the line for Peter Pan.  However, no matter how quickly you get there the line is usually up to 20 minutes by then.  Our typical order of things is to go on Peter Pan, Dumbo and Alice in Wonderland.  All the other attractions in Fantasyland tend to have shorter lines.  Another option is to get in line for Peter Pan and have a member of your party get fast passes for an attraction in Tomorrowland such as Space Mountain or Star Tours.  During busy times these two fast passes go quickly.  If Fast Pass is a new term to you stay tuned to subsequent posts where this will be discussed at length. 

If you are going to the park on  a non Magic Morning day, and are not planning to visit on a Magic Morning day, I still recommend heading directly to Fantasyland. We had a nice surprise during our most recent visit to Disneyland in October. We have annual passes and don't qualify for Magic Mornings so we were at the gates as the park opened.  We thoroughly enjoyed the welcome as band music played up and down Mainstreet, U.S.A and Cast Members were there with Mickey hands to wave and give high fives.  This welcome just added to the excitement of the magical feeling you already feel when you enter Disneyland. 
Now, as a disclaimer to my suggestions here...I am personally not all about rushing into the park and anxiously trying to get everything done like a check list.  I am a strong proponent of enjoying the feeling and mood, the excitement and happiness that is found by just being in Disneyland.  So, as a side note, I may suggest that your first day is spent just enjoying the mood and feeling of the park, but if you are staying for a few days and you get worn out, day three or four may also be a perfect time to just pull up a bench on Main Street and take in the mood.