Hi Robert!
Welcome back to planDisney.
It's always a pleasure to assist my fellow guests from the UK, so thank you for this question! I love to talk about Disney dining plans as they are a great way to budget for our holidays and know that most of our food is paid for in advance.
Disney dining plans are very flexible in the way they can be used, and this flexibility extends to when you use your dining plan and when you choose to pay for your snacks or meals by another method. You certainly can use your Disney band to do this and have it charged to the credit card that is linked to your room account. On arrival at a Table-Service meal your server will ask if you are using a dining plan so you can explain how you wish to pay - some of your group may want to pay for their meal with their dining plan meals, and others wish to pay by credit card (by scanning your Disney band.) Also, if you have ordered additional drinks or menu items that are not included in the dining plan you can charge them to your room in the same way.
You can use your dining plan in any way you want to - subject to having some meals or snacks remaining on your balance. Maybe you'll want to use it for more meals one day, and less on another, and any time you want to check your balance you can find it on your My Disney Experience mobile app, or at the bottom of any dining receipt. If you'd like a copy of all your dining plan transactions, and how many you have left you can stop by the Front Desk of your Disney Resort hotel and ask a Cast Member for a print-out.
Your Disney dining plan will be valid from the day of check-in to midnight on the day you leave (subject to meals and snacks remaining on your balance). With our late overnight flights back to the UK we usually have a lot of spare time on our departure day, so save some of your dining plan to use then - but ensure you use up all your meals and snacks as they will expire.
Also included in the price of each Disney dining plan is a Resort Refillable Mug. This can be used for unlimited refills of a selection of fountain drinks, including sugar-free versions, and hot drinks such as coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, at the beverage stations found at the Quick-Service locations at all Disney Resort hotels for the length of your dining plan. It's also worth noting that you will find a sink next to all the beverage stations to rinse your mug before your next refill.
Please come back and visit us if you have any further questions, and you can
send me a direct question if you wish. We will be very happy to help you plan your magical holiday at Walt Disney World Resort!
Sue