Hi, Ron! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
Thank you for bringing us this great question! You will find that this question is a hot topic among Walt Disney World Resort Guests and you will have some who are 100%, never visit without the
Disney Dining Plan, and then there are others who prefer to “pay as they go” for their meals. My preference is to purchase it. My reasoning is that I like that all of my meals are pre-purchased and I need only worry about paying the gratuity and any alcohol I might purchase (although some new Disney Dining Plans now include alcohol). I find that when I have the Disney Dining Plan, I tend to not worry about the cost of the item on the menu and I get to experience new and delicious foods that I might not otherwise order. With the Disney Dining Plan, you receive 1 Quick Service meal, 1 Table Service meal and 2 snacks for each night of your stay. It also comes with a refillable mug to use at the Quick Service location of your Disney Resort hotel! Those refills alone add-up on savings! I also find that the Disney Dining Plan offers a great value if you plan to book many Character meals, as they can be costly! If you plan on packing a lunch to the Disney Theme Parks, having in-room breakfasts and only having a few Quick Service meals and no Character meals, then perhaps paying as you go is better for your family. There are a number of online cost calculators which will help you determine if you will save money with the Disney Dining Plan.
There is also the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan which offers Guests 2 Quick Service meals and 2 snacks per day and the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan which offers 3 meals (Quick Service OR Table Service) and 2 snacks per day.
I hope that my answer has offered a bit of insight and helps you decide the best route for your magical vacation! Bon appetit!
Jen