For each of the four main parks at Walt Disney World or the two parks at Disneyland, what is usually your first ride of the day?
We don't have anything to "start" with, but for the three or so trips we've had, it's been tradition that we "end" with Splash Mountain. (At least, when we're in Tokyo). We don't generally have a "starting-off" ride when we visit. It's usually the, "split up in threes, enjoy the rides and don't get lost" when I'm with my cousins, haha!
it's traditional for karen and i on a trip that we always go to MK and ride the railroad full circle to start off the trip.
For Magical Kingdom it's always Space Mountain; for the others, we have no particular preference. Usually, we'll try to line up for whatever doesn't have a very long line at the time so that we can get more rides in.
The first time I went to Disneyland I went first at a Peter Pan ride... it was mostly a child ride, but I didn't know much about the rides and Peter Pan is one of my favorite Disney movies, so I wanted to go there! Even thought that was not a lot of fun and excitement, it was very cute! Space Mountain was my first at the second time around! It was my first because it's the one ride I made a point to go at twice, so I went first thing in the morning and then again at the end of the day! To me that is one of the best rides, and I highly recommend going at least once!
I don't have a specific first ride for a trip, but I do ride a full circle trip on the WDW Railroad on every trip
We usually either do POTC or Splash first, if we're starting at MK (which we usually do.) If my parents are with me and my family, we have to do the thing where you make a nice little circle around the park and ride rides as you come to them, instead of rushing off to whatever you want to ride, and then running clear across the park to ride what you want to ride next (which is what I do, haha. Not very practical, but it's good exercise!)
The first thing I do when I enter Disneyland is head straight for Space Mountain in Tomorrow Land and grab a Fast Pass of Space Mountain. Once that's settled, then I would actually go on Splash Mountain. Reason being is that is one of the longest lines ever. If you're in line when it opens, then you don't have to wait as long than in the middle of the day. So it's perfect. Then after that line, you have enough time for one more ride before Space Mountain!
For Disneyland I usually hit up Pirates of the Caribbean first. It will probably always be my favorite. I just love the ambience. At California Adventure, it's the water ride because its usually hot as heck there. I also really love Soaring over California!