The best suggestions I can give is:
++ Try a very well themed restaurant. Ideas include Sannaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge, 50's Prime Time and Sci-Fi at Hollywood Studios (always MGM to me), Be Our Guest at MK (I recommend doing lunch or breakfast, after a very disappointing dinner, but dinner does have the beast), Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge and others will have more suggestions here. Just try a restaurant that's so well themed that it's like nothing you see at home, wherever home may be. T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe don't count!
++ Try a fancy signature. If you were going all out splerge crazy, Victoria and Alberts is the best food on property, but for more not-likely-to-break-the-bank suggestions, California Grill at the Contemporary always wins 'favorite local spot' rewards. I like Bluezoo at the Swalfin a ton; Artist Point, while I have not been there since the chef change, seems to get a lot of good reviews. Jiko's is also one of my favorites.
++ Try a character meal. People always say 'Chef Mickeys', but I think a lot of that is nostalgia: for food, you can do better then Chef Mickey's. If you still want a buffet, Tusker House in the Animal Kingdom is one of my favorites. Want a 'bring my food to me' style? Garden Grill at Epcot is offering breakfast and lunch soon-ish. Have someone who loves princess? Cinderella's Royal Table is an expensive treat.
++ Try something unusual. (If you're not at all adventurous, skip this... maybe! Vacations are good places for trying new things.) Now, the bigger the place you live, the harder this can be to find... but do you have Moroccan food? Marrakesh in Epcot is a bit watered down, but still very different to the average American pallete. How about true French? While not on the dining plan, Monsiour Paul's has it's snails and frog legs and other delicious stuff. The debates between NY and Chicago pizza are always running high, but how about where we owe the pizza? Via Nipoli is pretty accessible, and serves pizza very, very close to how they make it in Naples, ignoring how Americans think this or that should be. Sushi? Kimono's at the Swalfin has a pretty decent menu. Aren't stuck in the world of Pennsalyvania Dutch doom like I am? How about the buffet at Biergarden in Epcot for German food, with a note that as a buffet, there's also a lot to try if you don't like the German-stuff? And although it's been completely princessified during breakfast, lunch and dinner over at Epcot's Norway still have the Princesses but have some food you've probably never had: try pickled herring, or fish dip, and of course ligenberries.
++ Head to Disney Springs! Wolfgang Puck Express may be the best counterservice on property, with food that rises above it's quality. Want gelato? I forget the name of the place, but there's delicious gelato downtown. Raglan Road is loud as everything, but also fun with great pub food (with definite Irish influences). The BOATHOUSE (which apparently needs all caps) adds some great seafood to the area, and it looks like Morimoto's Asian will add even more, with a more sushi and dim sum focus.
++ Snack, snack, snack! Besides favorites like dole whips, Mickey rice krispy treats, fancy candy apples, and who knows what else, there's a whole world out there! Want to keep a kid interested during the World Showcase tour? Try challenging them to find a food at every country- that's FROM that country! Canada is sadly the weakest part of the journey (hope there's some maple candy in the gift shop), but then head to the pub in UK. Try a Scotch Egg, or Fish and Chips. Over to France, there's a bakery and an 'ice cream shop', both full of wonders. Morocco leads you to bakalava, and other pastries made with nuts. Japan has tons of candy in the back of the department store, sushi, and kaki-gori: traditionally, get the shaved iced with the condenced milk over it. America doesn't have many choices, but funnel cakes are always nice! Italy has gelato, but maybe sneak in to Tutto Gusto and see if any desserts or light appetizer/snacks appeal. Germany has it's soft pretzles, and also a candy shop full of caramel treats. China has it's egg rolls, dumplings, ginger and green tea ice creams, and weirdly, some of the strongest drinks on property. Norway has a bakery of it's own, with waffles and rice pudding and troll horns and whatever else comes to mind. Mexico, there are churros and Mexican sodas and popsicules. This may have to be spread out over a few days, mind. Older guests can have fun here, too, with the old 'drink around the world' game. No cheating: no American items save for in America! Try other countries wines, beers, mixed drinks and shots!
Above all, though... have fun. Disney food really runs the gambit: some can be worse then the 'worst' local buffet at home (be that Old Country Buffet, Golden Coral, or... I dunno, both of those are pretty bad to this American), and some places like Victoria and Alberts have crazy quality (and are ridiculously expensive). So look at menus above all, ask questions about everything and prepare to be both surprised (in good ways!) and disappointed (in not so good ones, if that wasn't obvious). Everyone has different opinions on what is good and what is not, so look at menus and if you can, look at pictures of those menu items to get a good idea on what you'll be seeing.
Again, have funnn~!
If you are looking for a place outside of the parks with just good food we love the Kona Cafe (Poly Resort) for dinner and for breakfast also!
Rest assured there is such a thing as TOO much planning and obsessing for a newbie. Hopefully you will find some magic at WDW for you and your family, then there will be all kinds of time on your subsequent trips to try all the great restaurants! Just throwing that out there!! 
