Here's my take on it....and we've been on 3 cruises, 2 without kids and did late seating, 1 with kids and did early seating. With kids early is the way to go, and here's why. Especially with toddlers....the kid has to eat and no toddler is going to wait until 8:30 to do it! So you are going to be the one to feed him! So you have to go at 5 ish to the buffet or Plutos, or call for room service....and sit and feed. Then you have your show, then you have your dinner. So you are taking some time out to sit and eat, even though you really aren't eating, and still going pretty much nonstop from that point on. With the early seating, we all got dressed, went to dinner, then dropped the girls off at Flounders from 8-11 every night. We were able to go and actually sit and enjoy the show, and go up to the deck party at night. It worked out really really well for us and them, because there were no temper tantrums or fits, they played and slept while Mom and Dad had fun.