Hi there, Paul!
You must be so excited for your upcoming stay at Disney's Contemporary Resort! I just love staying right on the Magic Kingdom monorail line; it's so nice and convenient.
I have never had a problem allowing my kids to order off of the children's menu at non-buffet restaurants when we are not using any of the
Disney Dining Plans. Most of the dining locations at Walt Disney World will not have an issue letting you do this.
As far as the
Fantasmic! Dining Package, this is charged based on your childrens' ages and not on what they specifically order. It's different than paying out-of-pocket because of the package pricing. What you can do is enjoy an early dinner at Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano and head straight over to Fantasmic! when you're finished. You'll want to arrive about an hour or so before the start of the show so you can get awesome seats. Some Guests start lining up 90-minutes prior to the show if they aren't participating in the
Fantasmic! Dining Package.
I sure hope this helps, Paul. Thanks so much for sending in your question and please let us know if we can assist with any other questions you have.
Wishing you and your family a Pixie Dusted vacation!
~Jackie