Congratulations on your first trip report, Alan. Though your writing certainly is worthy of praise, it's your indexing skills that I found truly remarkable. What a table of contents!! Your co-conspirators should be congratulated, too. They gamely tried everything and there wasn't a whiner in the bunch. I've enjoyed the Deluxe Dining plan through the years (in various incarnations and with ever changing names) appreciative of the convenience and the luxurious feeling of not ever having to look at the price side of the menu--and when adding restaurant receipts at the end of the trip always found that the total was more (up to 50% more) than we paid for the deal--but understand why many families with young children don't regard a two table service per day deal a good value. Fortunately for you, your children are just great about getting beyond the macaroni 'n' cheese and chicken strips on menus. Isn't it amazing how much you can get away with eating when you're on the go all of time?! On 10 day WDW trips I have eaten 20 appetizers, 20 entrees, and 20 desserts (something I'd never do in a week and a half in the real world) and not only have I not gained weight, I've usually lost a few pounds. It's the best diet in the world--good food plus all that park walking.
Didn't your time spent reading and researching pay off? You managed to get so many Too Good to Miiss things on your itinerary. Rest assured there's still a lot left to do when you go back in the spring starting with a couple of things that you had to remove this time--Hoop-de-doo is unapologetically corny, but I'll refund your money if you don't all love it and IlluminNations is unapologetically sentimental, though I don't have to promise a money back guarantee because Disney gratiously gives us that show for the cost of our admission.
One other thing--about your willingness to go beyond in order to get into the spirit of the vacation. Time and again you mentioned that you were not a dessert eater and yet we all noticed that you bravely pushed yourself to eat . . . how many gigantic, gooey desserts?!
Thanks for your fabulous report.