@Minnie Mum is right. We create a calendar of which parks we'll probably be in each day. We add our restaurants to that once we get our heads straight. While people will tell you it's sad not to be as spontaneous as you would like, table-service restaurants take time & whether or not they had a good meal at these places, you will appreciate knowing you have something set that will provide you and your kids with a fun dining experience. We don't do the dining plan, but we still reserve a table-service a day just to have fun together wherever we are.
My son is now 13. He's been to WDW 13 times since he was 3. He has enjoyed all experiences - character meals, fine dining, fun-themed - you name it. As you sort through people's opinions & experiences of each restaurant, please know that for the most part restaurants are hit-or-miss. Don't skip one just because someone didn't have a good experience. Go with your gut. You know your kids best.
Here are some for you to look at -
Magic Kingdom -
Be Our Guest (the boys would love the "mysterious" West Wing with thunder & lightning),
The Crystal Palace (my son loves Tigger & to this day he smiles for a picture! - we enjoy b'fast here)
Epcot -
Coral Reef (my son loves watching the sharks, sea turtles & scuba divers float by)
Hollywood Studios -
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (sit in a car while watching silly cartoons & B-rated movie clips from the '50s like "Plan 9 from Outer Space" & Tom & Jerry & these
https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/movies-previewed-in-sci-fi-dine-in-theater.80821/ - kids usually sit in the front & drive and even get a driver's license!)
Animal Kingdom -
Tusker House (Donald's Safari Dinner - nice character meal with interesting food) &
Rainforest Cafe (it is what it says it is - a wild place to shop & eat with a thunderstorm every 15 min that makes the animals go crazy!)
The Contemporary Resort -
Chef Mickey's (classic Disney - great location, nice buffet, the original Fab 5 - we enjoy b'fast here)
Disney Springs -
T-Rex (just like
Rainforest except a meteor shower drives the dinos crazy - there's a build-a-dino in the shop, too) &
Rainforest Cafe - you can walk around both restaurants & see all the animals as well as the "ice room" in the T-Rex
If you need additional reviews to what you'll find on this site, here's another site that could help -
http://allears.net/dining/menu
Also - they may have fun doing this! (not a meal, but a Pirate Experience) -
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/shops/magic-kingdom/pirates-league/