Welcome to planDisney, Ramona.
I'm so honored that you chose to be our Guest! In the words of Winnie the Pooh, "What could be more important than a little something to eat?"
Whenever I travel to Walt Disney World, I look forward to eating at some of their amazing restaurants. Ramona, I'd encourage you to consider staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel so that you can take advantage of making advance dining reservations. One of the many benefits to staying on property is the ability to make reservations up to 60 days in advance of your trip plus the length of your stay (up to 10 days). This means you're far more likely to reserve a table at some of the more popular restaurants.
The beloved Disney Dining Plan is a convenient way to have all of your meals paid for ahead of time. Unfortunately, we don't yet know when the Disney Dining Plan will return. A number of months ago, the Disney Parks Blog announced that they are planning on bringing it back. However, as of now, we're not sure when this will be. I know that's not the news you wanted to hear, Ramona.
But listen, I have another suggestion for you. Instead of waiting for the Disney Dining Plan to become available, why don't you purchase a load of Disney Gift Cards? You can then bring these with you in order to pay for your meals. This method isn't really that different from the Disney Dining Plan. You're still basically paying for your meals ahead of time. In fact, in many ways, it's better than the Disney Dining Plan because if you have money left over it won't go to waste. You can use it to buy some extra souvenirs! You can purchase Disney Gift Cards from many major retail locations. Sometimes, I've noticed certain stores even offering deals on them (e.g. $45 for a $50 Disney Gift Card). This is actually what I plan on doing for my next Walt Disney World trip.
Ramona, if you'd like some restaurant recommendations, let me offer three. Satu'li Canteen is a fabulous quick-service restaurant in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The grilled chicken bowl will make your taste buds sing. Liberty Tree Tavern is a fantastic table service restaurant in Magic Kingdom Park. I think I'm still full from the Patriots Platter (and I haven't eaten there in years!) and the Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake is a taste of heaven. If you'd like to try a restaurant that's outside of the Theme Parks, then I recently had the pleasure of eating at Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'. Seriously, Ramona, the Thigh High Chicken Biscuits and Church Lady Deviled Eggs are both delectable.
Ok, now I'm all rumbly in my tumbly. Time for something sweet. I hope I've been able to whet your appetite for the magic of Disney, Ramona. I'm sure you're going to have a brilliant time.
ChEARS,
Mike