Welcome back to the wonderful world of the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Robyn!
I love your question because it really touches on one of my favorite things about the
Disney Dining Plan, which is how well it fits into my family's budget. I often do the calculations just like you did and find that using the Dining Plan saves us money, especially when we want to do a special experience like
Cinderella's Royal Table at
Magic Kingdom Park.
While you can use your Table-Service meal credit to get a meal at a Quick-Service restaurant, if you're like me and making the most of those credits is the name of your game, I wouldn't recommend doing that. The value of a Table-Service credit is much greater than a Quick-Service credit, so to make the most of them you should use them for meals at Table-Service restaurants. Maybe try another
Character Dining experience, like the
Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at
Trattoria al Forno! You can also redeem a Table-Service credit for a family style all-you-care-to-enjoy meal at
'Ohana at
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, or you can even try a buffet, like my favorite one:
Boma - Flavors of Africa at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. There is a wide variety of dining experiences to please even the pickiest palates, so have a look at the
list of restaurants that participate in the 2019 Disney Dining Plan, and choose a few more that your family is going to love.
I hope this answers your questions, Robyn, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation!
Jessica