Hi Gayla!
Congratulations on your quickly approaching Walt Disney World family vacation!
How exciting that it's your husband's and children's First Visits! Be sure to stop by Guest Services in the Park or at your resort front desk to get them 'First Visit' buttons to wear throughout your stay!
You're certainly not "over-planning" - this of course coming from a WDW uber-planner ;) - and it sounds like you're very aware of what you want to accomplish and planning well for it all!
I'm a HUGE fan of the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan. It is a lot of food, unquestionably, however well worth the money and huge savings in the end if you're planning to attend several signature dining locations or dinner show events on top of Character Dining and regular meals. On the the Deluxe Plan, I generally reserve breakfast and dinner daily, including Characters, a signature meal or show and even the occasional lunch on every trip. You also can't beat having such a great number of snack credits at your disposal for an icy treat to cool down in the afternoon, or a substantial 'snack' instead of lunch on a day that you're using 2 credits for a dinner show. I find it really balances out well in the end.
Since your trip is coming up quick, you'll definitely want to visit the
Online Dining & Reservations page and start your bookings right away if you haven't already!
If you need any assistance with the planning of your days, or recommendations for specific character meals or shows, please feel free to contact me again and I'd LOVE to assist you further with your plans!
Wishing you a simply Magical time as you plan your upcoming vacation Gayla!
Kirsten