Megan:
First of all, the cheapest way to stay at Disney is to book your trip toward the February end of your vacation spectrum rather than April. The beginning of February is still Value season and offers some of Disney's best rates of the year. The difference in your room rate alone could buy the Disney dining plan for one person in your party!
And speaking of the dining plan, to purchase it, you are correct that you must not only book your room but also your tickets with Disney. However, a little-known fact is that you don't have to purchase tickets for every day of your trip, only one day, to qualify for adding the dining plan. So evaluate what you want out of your time at Disney before you buy the most expensive ticket with all its bells and whistles. If you're on a budget, the one-park-a-day ticket may be all you need, especially with little ones.
Lastly, right now, Disney is offering a special on vacation packages that gives you FREE extra days--with tickets and room--when you book! Click
here for more information. The Value Hotels will probably be what you're looking for, however, with the free days, you may find just as good a value in upgrading to a Moderate resort!
Don't wait to check it out as I believe the offer ends soon! Keep an eye on the Special Offers section of the
www.disneyworld.com website for other ways to save, too!
Wishing y'all a magical vacation!
Whitney