The couple at the next table in the upscale restaurant eyed the two little kids in our group with decided distaste. Their mom was upset, but I convinced her we should simply ignore the dirty looks.

For one thing, I didn't think the 3-year-old and her 5-year-old brother were misbehaving. True, a glass of milk got spilled and they were (somewhat) noisy and jumped around a bit, picking up crayons that had dropped on the floor. But so were a lot of the other kids at The Flying Fish, the noisy, bustling Orlando restaurant. Besides, we were smack in the middle of Walt Disney World and I figure anyone who is dining at one of the 300-plus eateries here has got to be prepared for kids at the next table (unless they're at the Victoria and Albert, Disney's only adults-only restaurant.)

That said, wherever you take your kids out for a meal -- at home or while traveling this summer -- it's good to be prepared with a pad and paper (I taught 5-year-old Ethan how to play hangman) and even some crackers. I was disappointed that Disney restaurants -- so quick with the kids' menus and crayons and awesome kids' desserts (how about a white-chocolate puzzle that came with a brush and different color frostings so they could ''create'' their own desert?) -- didn't immediately offer some Mickey-shaped crackers when we sat down.

If you haven't been to Disney World or Disneyland in a while, you'll be surprised by the quality and variety of the food. It's no longer about overpriced burgers and fries (though you certainly can find those). Try an Asian-fusion eatery (Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom) or check out The Wave at Contemporary Resort, which promises organic beers and American cooking.

Of course, the kids with us preferred the old standards -- like eating in '50s-era ''cars'' at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios and watching old cartoons on the giant movie screen, all designed to make us think we were at an old-fashioned drive-in, complete with stars twinkling above us. I thought they'd also love the Coral Reef at Epcot, with its giant aquariums and scuba divers that feed the fish, but the service was disappointingly slow and 3-year-old Hannah got an earache that necessitated some of us making a quick exit. (Be prepared for anything with young kids!)

There are a lot of healthier options too, if you can get the kids to eat them. Kids meals now come with fruit or vegetables and juice, water or low-fat milk and there are fruit carts around the park.

REQUESTS

When I booked reservations, I was asked if anybody had allergies so that the information could be noted. (Don't be shy about dietary requests either. Walt Disney World gets more than 7,000 such requests a month -- just call a few days in advance if you need meals free of gluten, eggs, dairy or peanuts, for example.) Another tip: Whether you are at Disney World or a favorite city, book reservations. With young kids, earlier is better. You can always change them.

But even at Walt Disney World, you may not be able to get a table at the restaurant-of-the-moment. If you have a little princess who wants to dine with Cinderella, book as soon as you book your trip and even then, you won't be guaranteed a spot. Same with dinner at the California Grill atop the Contemporary Resort, with terrific food and a first-rate view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. (407-939- 3463 for dinner reservations.)

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