The choice not to offer the Dining Plan is a Disney Groups decision, not ours.
A "meet" can mean a lot of things, but it always means getting together with people like yourself. It could be something as simple as going on a ride together, which enhances the experience as you're all together -- imagine the difference between doing, say, the Jungle Cruise alone and the Jungle Cruise with a bunch of like-minded people who like Disney as much as you. The skipper's jokes seem funnier, the folks in your boat (who are probably all part of your meet) probably have interesting observations and jokes of their own, and you have a warm, happy feeling of inclusion. Meets at a restaurant mean you have fun table conversations and friendly neighbors. Meets can get more elaborate with structured activities like treasure hunts (looking for items in riddles or photos around a park, for example), tours, or trivia contests. Meets really seem to bring the enjoyment of Disney to a whole, new level.
The advantages of staying in the "home" resort (the Contemporary) are 1) it's a great location and easy access to many places, 2) we plan to have at least one meet there, making it easier to get to, and 3) you're more likely to bump into us and we have an impromptu meet of our own.
