For me, I always disregard route order if I can help it. I let my heart lead the way, because it's way more fun for me. If I spend the entire game going through routes just to get to my favorite, it leaves me burnt out and then I lack the desire to try and continue the game. It's kind of why I haven't made it super far in Olympia Soiree, even though I want to.
Which is why locked routes are the bane of my existence ^^'.