I don't know if I'd do the dining plan again.  It was our first time there as a family, and the idea of being able to have dinner at a restaurant every night was exciting.  We used our "table service" credits to eat dinner each night, which tied us to a specific time and place.  Hurry, hurry.  We could've gotten away with maybe doing a big breakfast and later had a counter service meal later in the day.   Or maybe had a nice lunch table service and something light for dinner.  We had breakfast in our room (bagels, cereal, etc.).  We had snack credits left over. 

It was so nice watching my daughter be able to order anything she wanted for a change.  I loved that.

We're using a Disney-based travel agent, and she asked me to start putting together our restaurant reservation list as we are 180 days out.  I had read the same thing you said, Hedgie.  People are having difficulties getting reservations if they aren't on the dining plan.

We have never used the dining plan, but I can say I hate the consequences of it.  since they started pushing the plan, it has become very difficult to get reservations.  I try calling when we book our trip, but some of the restaurants are completely booked 6 months before the date,and we don't book our trip that early.  If you call two months ahead, the options are very limited. 

We looked at it, but when you calculate it out, it's about the same. It may save you a few dollars, but it's limited

We did not do it because DD was too old for the kids plan.  She wasn't likely to eat a full adult meal or even like what was available in some places, so instead for dinner she would order an appetizer and if that wasn't enough food, I would share some my salad or entree with her.  We also wanted to pick our restaurants and not be tied to what the plan dictated.  Now if both my kids had been young enough for the kids meals, then we might have considered it.

The way we did it was also very expensive, but DH and I wanted to eat at certain restaurants so we knew it was going to be.

It adds quite a bit to the cost of our trip, but is it worth the money?  We've got a price for the basic dining plan, and we are staying in the park.  We'll prob. eat our breakfast in the room.  It's one table service, one quick service, one snack & the refillable mug per day.  There are four of us, which includes our pa daughter.