DW and I always used to enjoy having the dining plan pre-covid/hiatus of the dining plan. We ran the math and for us it was worth it, but that is based on how we choose to eat on vacation.
While in no way snobs we have just a hint of foodie in us and enjoy trying new/different/exciting things, and that in turn tends to be on the more expensive side. And while we don't do it at home, when we are on vacation we want appetizers, dessert, cocktails, etc. And we also really enjoyed going during the spring when the flower and garden festival is taking place, and we loved using our snack credits at the booths. Some people talk about how they had so many snack credits left over that they were buying candy to bring home just to burn the credits, or forgetting about them. That was never us.
I will also add that for us, we enjoy the planning almost as much as the trip. We truly enjoy looking at the menus of the places we are considering for meals and narrowing down until we have what we want to try and get reservations for, as well as our backups. And, in doing that, you can get a ballpark cost. Obviously what sounds good on the menu when you are reading it a few months out might not be what strikes you in the moment when you are sitting there, but it's all about having that number as a guideline.
However, with the new plan, we just don't see the value. You get fewer snack credits, less included with the meals, and can't convert a QS meal credit to multiple snack credits like you used to be able to do. Additionally, with the cost of DD, even at the kids rate for now, the math just doesn't math anymore though even if it was an adults only trip, we would just pay out of pocket.
On our last trip in November of 2022 I kept a spreadsheet of our spending and while snacks were rolled into a general budget line item and therefore can't be factored into the total, I can say that the cost of the dining plan is about break even with what we spent last time. However, what we spent last time included appetizers and tipping, which is not included in the plan. So going forward, the value just isn't there anymore. It's a shame, we really enjoyed it once upon a time but it's just been chipped away until it is no longer desirable for us.
Whatever you decide, enjoy the trip!