I wanted to report that all worked out well. After continuing to check flights, I decided to go with the Newark option. I booked my return flight on the 1:30pm return.
After much waiting, I was cleared the waitlist and flew to EWR in 1st on a MD8. Breakfast was a nice mushroom omelet with potatoes. Checked in early at the airport Marriott. Took the shuttle bus in to the city. At 1:30 Friday, I called and upgraded my Saturday flight ot 1st. My daughter and I returned to the Marriott around 8 on Friday night. I went throught the lengthy process of waitlisting her on the 0530 flight to Atlanta. Had a nice dinner at the hotel. Went to bed fairly early because of 0400 wakeup call.

We got to the Delta counter around 0430. There was quite a line for the 0530 flight. Walked right to the medallion line and got us both on the standby for the flight. Now time to wait at the gate. Right after the 1st class boarding started, I was called for my seat in 3D. I waited to board until after my daughter got her pass -10C. No one sat in 4C so I asked if my daugther an S4 could come up. The head FA said fine. It was her first time in FC.

All in all things couldn't have worked out much better. All trips should work out this well.

BTW, including my daughter, their were 5 kids in FC. They all mostly slept, so it was pretty easy for the FAs.