Hi Elaine,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, and hello to a fellow Virginian! I love that you are doing your resEARch to decide which Disney Dining Plan is the best fit for you and your husband. The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan certainly provides a lot of flexibility in your dining options – as well as a whole lot of food (sounds like a perfect combination to me). My family loves being on the Disney Dining Plan because it encourages us to order things we may not otherwise try, and we make a point to really have fun with it.
I checked in with my friend and fellow Panelist Tabitha D., who told me that she has been able to substitute a side salad for an appetizer when on the
Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. The key to this is that these substitutions are not guaranteed – it really depends on the restaurant and even the Cast Member who is serving you. My advice is to ask your server about possible substitutions and go from there. In my experience, your server wants to make your dining experience as pleasant as possible for you, and will do what they can, when they can. Just remember substitutions are the exception, not the rule.
Elaine, my favorite tip when researching the Disney Dining Plan is that you can see whether a restaurant participates - and how many and which type of meal entitlement will be charged when you dine there - on each restaurant’s web page. On the right side of the page beside the restaurant photos, you’ll see language like “Some Dining Plans Accepted Here," and when you click that link, you’ll get a pop-up box with more details. It’s one of my favorite tools.
Thanks for stopping by with this delicious question, and please come on back if we can help in any way as you do your planning and Disney dreaming.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn