Kim&N8

Even on our first night on Freedom, my wife and I just told the hostess that we had already found our table earlier in the day. She was totally fine with it, no escort required. I want to say that by night 3 almost everyone was just walking in to the MDR and going to their tables on their own.
But we were late seating traditional -- I guess by any measure our dining room as a whole were an odd lot. ?

I leave my kids at home any chance I get! They get to spend time with grandparents (being spoiled) and we get time to enjoy without kids. It's win-win.

Maybe I should feel "guilty" for saying this but I think parents need some time off away from their kids. Every couple needs some "me" time. As a grand parent, I often tell my kids that they should go on vacation and leave their kids with us. As long as you leave your kids in capable hands while you're gone, there's nothing to feel guilty about!

This is interesting... I don't remember being seated after night one. I wonder if we were rude and just headed on in to our table or if because we were a large group (12 adults) if we were seated and I just never paid attention to the host taking us all. #blameitonthewine
 
 

The key is My Time Dining.  With My Time you are escorted every night.

An UberXL from the airport to PortMiami is $30 according to their web site. As for parking, I don't drive so I never thought of that cost. (We're DVC members so wouldn't have to park regardless).

Mind you, this doesn't include the hotel the night before your cruise if you're flying in.

As per Matt's recent perfect day at CocoCay podcast, he stated he'd love to do a cost analysis of a weekend cruise vs the same weekend at WDW.
ROYAL PERFECT DAY CRUISE
I picked a 3 night cruise (Nov 1 to 4) on Navigator of the Seas, balcony room. Family of four (2 adults 2 kids).
Base price: $2121.40
Tips: $174.00
Waterpark cabana (includes waterpark admission): $684. (I averaged out the high and the low prices from the official prices).
GRAND TOTAL: $2979.40

WDW
3 nights, Port Orleans Riverside
Disney Dining plan (regular)
3 day Park hopper plus water park tickets
GRAND TOTAL: $3097.68

You could tweak the numbers with Ultimate Dining plan for Royal, or just buying a waterpark annual pass for WDW (or add a WDW cabana at the waterpark), but I think this is a fair comparison.

Doubtful. As a Disney World fan, think of it in terms of if Splash Mountain was closed the day you visited Magic Kingdom, your ticket isn't discounted as a result, right?

Tell them you are checking it out to see if it suits them ?

LOVED the Mystery Theater dinner on Adventure of the Seas, sadly it was 2016 and its been through a dry dock since then so it could be very different now. It was in Giovanni's table and the show took place around us while we ate. Very enjoyable would do it again seem it has been so long now that even if it was the same show we certainly wouldn't remember it. The food was very good too!

My kids are adults and i STILL feel guilty!  So much so that we usually take my daughter (33!) with us.  My son is married with 4 kids so not so much!

(3) is out of their hands.  That's our government at work.  

The photos I've seen look like it's coming together nicely. I'm no construction expert, but it looks like progress is being made.

My buddy took this while on the Mariner a couple of weeks ago.
 
 

We did Mystery Dinner in 2016 on Adventure and loved it! I would consider it again ?