Migrating Data From One MacBook to Another

I own two MacBook Pros, an M2 MacBook and an Intel MacBook. Although I’m signed into my Apple ID on both MacBooks, I have been using the M2 MacBook with iCloud Drive disabled, namely because I want to remove some data from the Intel MacBook before enabling iCloud Drive on the M2 MacBook. I plan to first set up the Intel MacBook with only the data I wish to migrate to the M2 MacBook, back up the Intel MacBook up to iCloud Drive, erase the Intel MacBook and set it up using a new Apple ID, and then enable iCloud Drive on the M2 MacBook so that data previously on the Intel MacBook will be migrated to the M2 MacBook and I can begin backing up the M2 MacBook using iCloud Drive.

My questions:

1. Does this strategy seem logical? Keep in mind that there is a lot of data I do not wish to migrate from the Intel MacBook to the M2 MacBook, so I must first dump the unwanted data onto an external hard drive. I am trying to find a way to migrate only a subset of the data from the Intel MacBook to the M2 MacBook.
2. When I finally enable iCloud Drive on the M2 MacBook, will I be given the option to merge the existing data currently on the M2 MacBook with the data I’m migrating from the Intel MacBook via iCloud Drive, or will iCloud Drive only migrate data from the Intel MacBook and erase any data currently on the M2 MacBook?

Alternatively, I’m wondering if I can just remove all the data from the Intel MacBook and move it an external hard drive, erase the Intel MacBook and set it up using a new Apple ID, enable iCloud Drive on the M2 MacBook, and then migrate whatever data I wish from the external hard drive to the M2 Macbook. Would this also work and, if so, is this the more efficient method? I want my M2 MacBook to be free of any unwanted data, but also to back it up using iCloud Drive.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!