Disabling plugins before upgrade

That’s a really good question! I’m moving this to the Multisite section.

I’ve never had a problem with any multisite upgrade as my plugins and themes are well behaved. As long as you have a full backup of your files and database (all tables) then even if it goes poorly then you’ll be able to go back to where you were.

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/WordPress_Backups
https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Backing_Up_Your_Database
https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Restoring_Your_Database_From_Backup

Even if you don’t need that backup it’s still a good idea and safety nets are your friend.

I’ve used backupscheduler plugin to backup my whole site but I rather do everything I can not to have to restore first;)

I don’t disable before upgrade on my Multisite. I make a backup first, but I never disable. Too much of a PITA.

Sharing our experience… we never disable plugins prior to upgrades and have never had a problem. We have a large install: 60 plugins, 100+ sites. There would be no way we could manage making sure all the right plugins are enabled after upgrading.