Hi there, Melanie!
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question about the
Disney Dining Plan. I believe you are really going to enjoy the flexibility that the Disney Dining Plan will afford your family on your upcoming vacation. From the day you check in until midnight on the day you check out of your Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you may use your Disney Dining Plan entitlements whenever you like. Also, if you find that it would be more cost-effective to pay out-of-pocket for a portion of your bill at a restaurant, that's totally fine. For instance, if your daughter wishes to order from the children's menu for lunch at
Be Our Guest Restaurant, it would make sense for you to use cash or credit card to pay for her meal. It wouldn't be cost-effective to use one of her adult quick-service credits for that meal (unless that credit would go unused by the end of your trip).
As you may know, Be Our Guest Restaurant has a
new prix fixe menu for dinner. In this case, it would be at the discretion of your server as to whether your 12-year-old would be permitted to pay the price for the children's menu. She would certainly be allowed to order from the children's menu if that was her preference. Since you intend to pay cash or by credit card for her meal, I think it is likely they will charge you the children's prix fixe price, but be sure to ask your server when you are seated at the restaurant.
Be sure to take time to explore the three stunning dining rooms at Be Our Guest Restaurant while you are there. The level of detail the Imagineers included in this establishment is truly extraordinary.
Wishing you many magical memories,
Jill