Hi Emily!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. It looks like you are planning a visit during one of my most favorite times of the yEAR at Walt Disney World Resort. The Parks are a bit less busy because most people have returned to school, but they are all decked out in their fall finery, so you get to enjoy the
spooktacular fun with fewer crowds!
You are going to love Shades of Green Resort. It looks exactly like you would expect from its name - it's on a beautiful golf course, and the landscape is lush and gorgeous. Bonus - you are super close to Magic Kingdom Park and all of the conveniences of the Monorail. Though the Resort is in the hEARt of the Magic, it is owned by the Department of Defense, and as such, is not a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Unfortunately, because of that, you are
unable to qualify for a
Disney Dining Plan.
No worries, though! There are a few options that I hope you find useful. First, as you are prepping for your trip, I would suggest you pick up a few
Disney Gift Cards. You can find them in your local stores or
online, and I think they are a fantastic way to budget for your vacation meals. I use them as a way to curb my tendencies to blow the budget on all the delicious food available! Next, consider having
groceries delivered to your Resort. My kiddos are little, and little tastes change on a whim, so I like to have the staples (peanut butter and jelly, etc.) with us in the Parks to help keep us in budget, and always make sure that they have food they will eat!
Finally, most of the
Quick-Service dining locations are very reasonably priced, and I guarantee there's
a cuisine to fit every palate! One of our favorite places for lunch is
Satu'li Canteen in Disney's Animal Kingdom Park. Everything is fresh, delicious, and in budget! Flame Tree Barbecue never disappoints, and the same goes for
Columbia Harbour House in Magic Kingdom Park. You can't go wrong with any of the Quick-Service locations in the World Showcase; we have a tradition of sharing a baguette with cheese and fruit from
Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie at least once a trip!
Emily, if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to come back. Thank you so much for
yours and your family's service, we are always happy to help.
Rayna