Hi Julianne!
Thanks for your question and for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
Character dining at
Walt Disney World, either inside the theme parks or at one of the resorts, is my and my girls' favorite activities when we come here. There's just something special about the extra one on one attention that you can get with your favorite Disney characters! And the food is pretty good, too!
You do not need to purchase any sort of Disney Dining Plan in order to be able to experience dining with the characters. You simply need to book a reservation, which I highly recommend doing. Some of the more popular locations book up well in advance. The good news is that you can make an
Advance Dining Reservation up to 180 days before your trip.
Also, at this time, refillable mugs are NOT available inside the theme parks. They can be purchased and used at any of the Disney owned resorts around property.
I hope this helps and I wish you a Magical trip!!
Chris