Thanks for the help everyone!

I think I’ll cancel this EWR-ATH flight and booking a cheap J redeye redemption to Europe on Iberia or something to only sleep, and spend all of my Emirates miles for the return flight instead.

Not only does it seem like the old 777 first class and the ground experience at EWR is way behind, it's also an overnight flight so I’ll likely end up sleeping and won’t enjoy first class fully.

I’ll just book J on the A380 return leg back to NY and swapping to F is availability opens or try to upgrade at the airport, or stay in J and be happy at the bar.