AFAIK, the only link that is true about is option #2 in the wiki above. With Option #4 you may or may not get a card approved, but you will absolutely not get a sign up bonus. (Option 3 may or may not work, but its only for 30K at best).
Also be aware that applying for a Platinum AA card does require the 18 to 24 month waiting period. (One report to the contrary, but until I see more data points I consider that unproven, and more of a risk than I care to take.)
As for waiting to apply for another EXEC next spring, that is a very questionable strategy. Option 2 is basically an outmoded link that Citi has left standing, and no one knows why. How much longer it will work is totally unknown. Option 1 worked, until the minute it didn't. I personally tried to use it to apply, and found it wouldn't come up anymore. It had worked the day before.
The best strategy is always to apply for the best deals that come along, and as many as the banks will let you get, (assuming you can meet the minimum spend).
No one knows how long any offer is going to last. American Express changed it's policy from a new card 12 months after canceling the prior one, to one card per lifetime, with no notice. Citi dropped it's EXEC offer from 100K miles to 50K miles with no notice. The official EXEC app from Citi now requires waiting for 24 months after a prior app. We are lucky to have option #2 still around, but no one knows for how long.
Get your cards/miles/points while the getting is good.
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Keep Calm and Churn On....