Hiya Susan!
Thank you so much for stopping by! Honestly, being a Mom, I do get this question quite often, and my answer is ultimately YOU know your kids best. For mine, no matter where we are--if we stray too far from our typical mealtime schedule, we tend to unravel. BUT, my kids have always been that way--very comforted by the predictability of a schedule and knowing what will come next. Other children--children like yours are much more flexible and 'flow' a bit more easily than mine!
If you'd rather schedule a couple of meals, ones that you know your kids really would like to experience, and let the rest go with the flow while extending your stay? By all means! Sounds like a really smart way to turn that extra savings into even more magic! I would definitely have them look over the
Walt Disney World Dining Options to see what they show an interest in and help guide your planning.
Have a magical vacation and thank you again for stopping by!
Amanda