Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for sending the Disney Parks Moms Panel your question, I am happy to see that you are planning on returning to Walt Disney World Resort with your family. Choosing the best
Disney Dining Plan for your family's needs can be a tough choice, but whichever one you end up with, you will definitely enjoy some fantastic dining at Walt Disney World Resort!
If you ask this question to 5 Disney Parks Moms Panelists, you could quite possibly receive 5 different answers, as the answer is tricky. It really depends on what your family is looking for in terms of Dining as well as how much time you would like to spend in Table-Service Restaurants. Personally, my family prefers the Disney Dining Plan or the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan as we enjoy spending time away from the Theme Parks, relaxing and reconnecting through a sit down meal. There are so many options for Table-Service Dining, we love spending time together as a family enjoying a great meal and talking about our trip so far.
What I would suggest is make a general itinerary for your trip, including your dining selections. If you have at least one Table-Service meal each day, it may be worthwhile to upgrade to the Disney Dining Plan. On the other hand, if you are only planning on having one or two Table-Service meals, it may be smarter to simply pay out of pocket for those two meals. Please be aware that this could take some researching. I find that Character Meals are significantly more costly than other Table-Service Dining Options, so if you are planning on attending several Character Meals, upgrading will definitely be worth upgrading dining plans.
I hope you have a wonderful time at Walt Disney World Resort, Jennifer. Please let us know if you have any other questions, we are happy to help.
Stephanie