Hi Elizabeth,
What a wonderful surprise from your boyfriend! I have visited Walt Disney World with the dining plan and without the dining plan. I actually prefer not using the dining plan unless we have found a great deal on it.
Many guests find charging their meals to their room using their MagicBands extremely convenient. Of course, if you choose to pay at the restaurant you are welcome to use a credit card. Walt Disney World accepts most major credit cards.
If you are trying to stick to a dining budget, you can purchase a
Disney Gift Card and use that to pay for your meals. If you do decide to charge meals to your room, you can always stop by the front desk or lobby concierge at your resort to check your purchases and settle them to your credit card.
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel. Please let us know if we can help you with any other questions!
Wishing you happy planning and a magical vacation,
Amy H