The fill you mentioned is quick and easy.
I have either floor slabs or roofing on my floor plans with their back ground color set to solid white. Then I use the display order to sink visually unwanted items below the slab or roof. But I'm really trying to model as it will be built as much as possible. And when everything is stacked right, using solid background colors and not transparent, everything usually looks right.
I also have layers set up named something like "2d hidden layer" I have shut off in 2d views but turned on in sections, elevations, and 3d views. But you have to either use layer combos to switch layer states as needed or set up saved views for this and then use those views to navigate your project.
I highly suggest the saved view route as I am finding for myself that part of AC to be very useful. You can set a view exactly the way you want it, save it, and the use that to revisit the view with nothing more than a double click.
But sometimes you have to know when to relent and just do something like you said. I can usually make AC look right if I mess around with it enough but I've found I've saved a lot of time fixing small problems with a quick fix instead of "doing it right". If you go this route, I have one suggestion and that's to sink, not ascend, the display order of the mesh you want to hide. Strategically I like to keep the top of the order less cluttered so I can have as much of the order as possible to display my work correctly if needed.
