Hi Carly!
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question about dining credits - I'm happy to help!
When you participate in the Disney Dining Plan, you'll be allotted a certain number of Quick Service, Table Service, and Snack entitlements, per person, for each night of your resort stay (depending on which dining plan you choose). You're more than welcome to use those entitlements any way you like. Your server will ask if anyone is on the Dining Plan before you order, and you can let them know then which meals you'll be paying for with your Dining Plan entitlements, and which meals you'll be paying for out of pocket.
During your vacation, you'll be able to keep track of your dining credits in two ways:
1. Remaining entitlements will be printed on your dining receipts.
2. You can stop by any Guest Relations window or your Resort Concierge to check your remaining entitlements.
I hope this helps, and I hope you enjoy using the Disney Dining Plan as much as my family does!
With over 100 participating restaurants, we can always find a dining location to please everyone. Thanks for using the Moms Panel as a planning resource for your Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Have a magical day! - Diane W.