How are soups/salads/side dishes handled on the Deluxe Dining Plan?

[Montegut]

Been looking at a lot of the menus, and see some places where I don't like any entrees, but husband will love them, but I like some of the side dishes and salads and soups. Wondering if I can substitute a side dish or salad or soup for an entree. Also, can a side dish or salad or soup be your appetizer? If I understand the deluxe plan correctly, you get an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. And some restaurants, believe it or not, I'd like to substitute an app or side dish for the dessert, so wonder if that can be done.

I know this is not the most cost effective way to use the meal plan, but I'm trying to make hubby happy and give him a chance to eat at places that I wouldn't enjoy. Would also like to know this for when we go back with our picky son, too. (He got his pickiness from his mom, but I've gotten better with old age).

I also hate to waste food, but we're staying at the Contemporary and don't know if there's a place to heat leftovers for late night snacks, so don't want to order something I won't eat, just to have it thrown away.

 

[havoc315]

I don't know of any way to include side dishes.
Soups and salads can count as appetizers.
Soups and salads cannot be counted as desserts.
Reports vary, as to whether you can substitute an appetizer for an entree.

But there are some simple solutions. At restaurants where nothing appeals to you, share a credit. You take the app, your husband takes the entree. And then use more credits towards signature meals. Alternatively, quite simply -- it may be cheaper to skip the dining plan, and pay for exactly what you want to eat.

 

[catne]

salad or soup for an appetizer, yes.

for an entree, generally not.

for a dessert, never.

However, keep in mind that Disney restaurants are very good at "customizing" foods so for instance if there's a chicken breast entree that doesn't appeal to you because of the sauce...ask for no sauce. Or plain grilled chicken breast with your salad (to turn your salad appetizer into an entree.)

And if the entree doesn't appeal because you don't like the combination of things that come with it (for example, steak with corn polenta...and you hate polenta.) Well, look at other entrees on that menu and see if there's something that comes with one of the other entrees...like you see the chicken comes with a rice you would like. Order the steak and ask them to switch out the polenta you don't like for the rice you do like.