Help! Unexpected first time trip to DLR

I just found out I’m going to So Cal for an unexpected work trip in a month. Can’t miss this opportunity to visit DLR for the first time! I’ll only have one day, first Friday in Oct, to see it all then hop on a red eye home. Looking for advice and suggestions on how to best tackle this fun challenge! TIA

Park hopper will be a necessity. Having not been there since Cars land opened, this is what I would do based off of what I’ve heard and put together from other people. Go to DCA first and either do Cars land first, OR pull FP for it. If your FP time is awhile away (like a couple hours), then hop over to DL and do some standby rides of headliners. If it’s fairly soon, do a couple less-popular standbys in DCA until your FP time comes, and then do Cars.

Then hop to DL, get a FP for a headliner, ride other standbys until FP time. Try to get all of Space, Splash, Pirates, Indiana Jones (don’t miss that!!), Matterhorn, Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise at DL, and California Screamin’, TOT, Cars, aaaaand I’m not sure what else is necessary in DCA nowadays (haven’t been there since 07). If it’s a Fantasmic night (they don’t do it every night), stay to see it, it’s way better than WDW version.

Hopefully someone else who’s been more recently can fill in some gaps! Have fun!!

Great suggestions…Thank you maALYficent!

Great suggestions from @mALYficent. Only thing is that Fri 10/3 is Halloween party at DL which closes 7pm so try to get as much done by then. Space & HM will have their holiday overlays then so don’t miss those. Try to catch World of Color, FPs available by Grizzly River Run, aim for blue section, watch from bridge by Ariel’s Grotto.

Totally forgot about Grizzly River Run! Don’t miss that either!!