Hi Marianne,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am delighted that you brought this question to us. The
dining plans are one of my favorite topics to discuss. Congratulations to you for planning a fantastic dining experience at the Walt Disney World Resort!
If you are planning to do several table-service meals a day, I suggest the
Deluxe Dining Plan. With the Deluxe Dining Plan, each guest 3-years old and over in your party will receive three meals and two snacks per night of stay plus one resort refillable mug. The 2018 Deluxe Dining Plan will also include alcoholic beverages for those over 21-years old.
My family has done the Disney Dining Plan and the Deluxe Dining Plan. Although the
Disney Dining Plan worked great when our girls were younger, we opt for the Deluxe Dining Plan now. On our last trip we only did one or two quick-service meals. We also love to dine at a few signature restaurants on the Deluxe Dining Plan. In the past, to make this work without having to pay for meals at the end of our trip, I mapped out our meals and counted how many table-service credits each one would take. California Grill and Cinderella's Royal Table are two dining experiences that have been phenomenal.
Marianne, remember to factor in the costs of tips if you only eat at table-service restaurants. When we moved to the Deluxe Dining Plan, we spent a few hundred extra dollars on tips!
Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
Donyell