By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

updated 1:44 p.m. ET Jan. 23, 2008

Everyone likes to take pot shots at theme park food. But the truth is, your dining experiences at Walt Disney World can be what you make of them. You can graze through the resort, downing snacks on the fly, or savor truly fabulous sit-down meals prepared by top-flight chefs. For lunch, you might grab a hot dog at Casey’s Corner on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. That evening, perhaps you’ll spring for a sumptuous dinner laid out on Wedgwood china at Victoria & Albert’s. Some eateries, such as the Yak & Yeti Restaurant in the Animal Kingdom and the new Tutto Italia in Epcot’s Italy pavilion, can whisk you to an exotic locale. You can experience an enormous range of culinary styles, from down-home Southern fried chicken to authentic Japanese sushi to a very proper English high tea. Sure, food at Walt Disney World is probably more expensive than in your hometown. But, to be fair, it’s also likely that the breadth of dining possibilities is incomparable.

There are over 300 places to eat within Walt Disney World, not counting the food carts scattered throughout the parks. As you’d expect, eating at full-service restaurants is not only more costly but also a major time gobbler. If don’t want to spend a lot of time or money on meals, then stick to eateries with counter service.

On the other hand, if dining is an important part of your vacation experience, you’ll want to make reservations for table-service meals well in advance of your visit. Budget Tip: If you’d like to dine more inexpensively at one of Disney’s most exceptional full-service restaurants, like those at Epcot’s World Showcase, make your reservation for lunch. Menu prices tend to be significantly higher at dinner.

Decisions, decisions: Dining plan or no dining plan?
Disney’s popular Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining is available only to guests who stay at Disney resorts, including Disney Vacation Club properties. It works like this: For each night of your Magic Your Way package, you’ll pay an additional $38 per adult and $10 per child between the ages of 3 and 9. In return, you are entitled to one table-service meal, one counter-service meal, and one snack per day. New for 2008: The gratuity is no longer included in the dining plan.

Guests can use the meals and snack in any order and in any amount throughout the package stay. The plan is available at nearly every restaurant inside Disney World, including most hotel restaurants. Usage is tracked electronically, and the server or cashier can provide a receipt showing the remaining balance.

More from WeJustGotBack.com Click for related stories Disney World on the cheap Disney reality check Disney day planner

Generally speaking, the dining plan is a good deal for families who plan to eat one meal per day at a full-service restaurant. “It’s not a great deal for grazers or light eaters,” advises Deb Wills of AllEarsNet.com, the most comprehensive online guide to Disney World. “They would be better off sticking with quick service,” she says. To get the most out of the dining plan, plan ahead and pre-book all your key meals. Here are our key tips:

Equate dining with down time
You’ll be doing an awful lot of walking in the parks, so use sit-down meals as an opportunity to relax. (Don’t buy it? See our Disney Reality Check.) Enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace. Book your big meal of the day at off-peak dining times—late breakfast, late lunch, or early dinner—to minimize waiting for your table to materialize.

Read the menus
You can preview the selections and prices at every Walt Disney World restaurant on AllEarsNet.com’s menu guide. While the quality of food within Walt Disney World varies greatly, it is getting better all the time. Some restaurants remain unremarkable, while others are truly exceptional. The dozen or so full-service restaurants in Epcot’s World Showcase are among the standouts.

Indulge, within reason
You can choose anything from the menu, so why not go for the fillet mignon, if only once? Or go upscale. You may exchange two table-service meals on the dining plan for one “signature dining experience” at a top restaurant, such as the California Grill in the Contemporary Resort.

Meet the characters
Booking a character meal is one of the easiest ways to get your money’s worth out of the Dining Plan. For small fries, encountering the Disney characters is bound to be a big highlight of their trip. About a dozen restaurants in Walt Disney World offer character meals, which are covered under the Dining Plan. While your family eats (usually at a buffet or family-style meal), one to five Disney characters work the room, moving from table to table, hugging kids, signing autographs, and posing for snapshots. With the Dining Plan, a character meal counts as your day’s one table-service meal, so plan your day accordingly. If you’re not on the Dining Plan, the cost for a family of four can be anywhere from $46 for breakfast to over $75 for dinner. See AllEarsNet.com’s listing of character meals at Walt Disney World.

Maximize Epcot
On the day you visit Epcot, use the table-service option on your Dining Plan on a great meal out in one of the marquee restaurants. (Just don’t forget to make a reservation).

See a show
Want to really get bang for your buck? The Dining Plan allows you to exchange two table-service meals for one dinner show, including the long-running Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness or the Spirit of Aloha Luau at the Polynesian Resort. Note: These events are incredibly popular and often need to be booked months in advance.

MORE FROM FAMILY

Family Section Front

Chocolate Town, USA 6 trips that'll thrill your family, even your teen The ultimate green vacation Stay in Disney’s neighborhood for less The best advice for travelling with kids Flying the not-so-fur-friendly skies Independence Day family getaways 15 water parks in your own backyard Affordable summer travel for families Make friends with a dolphin in Miami Family Section Front   Add Family headlines to your news reader: