It's great to see you here today at the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Alasdair!
My family really loves using the
Disney Dining Plan when we're on vacation. We find that it helps us save money and there's something to be said for the peace of mind of having all of your meals taken care of in advance. Even though all of our trips to Walt Disney World Resort have been different, the flexibility of the Dining Plan makes it so that we can eat pretty much whatever we want whether we're there for a weekend or a fabulous week-long getaway.
Since the Dining Plan is so flexible, I'm happy to tell you that in most cases it's perfectly fine to split meals. My husband and I are real foodies and want to try absolutely everything on offer, so we'll often share meals at dining locations so that we're able to move on to the next restaurant and use another Dining Plan credit to try something else! If your 10-year-old wants to split a meal with you, you're both welcome to do that. If you're dining at a restaurant where the adult entrées don't appeal to her, ask the Cast Member serving you if it's possible to get a big kids portion of something on the children's menu so she can have something that might be more suited to her tastes. There are a few instances where everyone will need to use a Dining Plan credit, like at a
buffet or family-style meal, or a
Character Dining experience, but what you eat while you're there is still up to you!
I hope this answers your question, Alasdair, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation.
Jessica