Stacey,
Thanks for asking your questions to planDisney!
As the Disney resort hotel with one of the smallest footprints, yes, I think that
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter is one of your best options, based on your mother's mobility needs. It is less than 1/3 of a mile from one end of the resort to the other. There are resorts whose grounds are double that length! As to your second question, yes, she can rent a wheelchair in the parks as well.
My wife and I stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter a few years ago, and we loved it. While we love all of the Disney resorts, we were pleasantly surprised to find at the end of a long evening that we were only a short stroll from our hotel room. We also loved the theme, as well as the delicious beignets at the
Scat Cat's Club - Café.
As to the
wheelchair rental, they are available to rent in all four theme parks, as well as the water parks and Disney Springs. You can also make a length-of-stay rental which will save you some money too. But be aware that wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You cannot make advance reservations for them.
BONUS TIP
When you use the
Online Check-In feature via your
My Disney Experience account, you can sometimes even make some requests related to your room type. Those can vary by resort but can include things like requesting a ground-floor room, a room near the lobby, and so on. This would be a good time to request a ground-floor room, even though the buildings do have elevators.
Please feel free to
write me back directly if you have any follow-up questions.
Have a Magical Vacation!
Doug