Hi Juan -
Welcome back! It's just days until you'll be setting sail on your Disney Cruise. I'm sure you and your family are counting the minutes until you step aboard the ship!
My kids are similar in age to yours, and we prefer the late seating for dinner. It's really just personal preference, but we like to enjoy the night's featured entertainment before settling in for our meal. Most families with younger children seem to choose the early seating. Though the late seating (8:15pm) may seem a bit late for dinner, we enjoy the extra time in the afternoon and usually get a snack before the show to hold us over! Our snack of choice is the "All Hands On Deck" cheese platter from Room Service. Did you know that
Room Service is included in the cost of your cruise, and is available 24 hours a day? What an awesome perk of sailing with Disney Cruise Line! (Here's a "not-so-secret" secret: Mickey Ice Cream Bars, while not on the Room Service menu, are readily available! All you have to do is ask. YUM!)
To pre-pay your gratuities, simply call your Disney travel agent or call Disney Cruise Line directly at 1-800-951-3532. (Make sure to have your reservation number handy.) You can find out more about Gratuities and Tipping
here.
I hope this helps as you prepare for your upcoming voyage! Captain Mickey and his crew can't wait to see you!
Have a magical day! - Diane W.