Hey there, Renee!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
The magic of staying at a Monorail Resort is the ability to be able to get to and from the Magic Kingdom quickly. Also, the view of Cinderella Castle from the shores of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will leave you captivated and in awe!
I have small children too, 6 and 5, and being able to get to the Magic Kingdom by monorail, boat, or a quick walk helps after a long, pixie-dusted day or if you want to quickly return to your resort for some time at the pool. The extra money spent to be closer to the Magic Kingdom is often worth it.
Now, we have stayed at other resorts that only have complimentary bus transportation to and from the theme parks. Staying there requires a bit more planning and more time for traveling to and from the parks, but we loved the experience. Many of the other resorts have great kid-friendly themes that our children loved to see that staying further away from the Magic Kingdom didn't matter much to us.
Renee, I know that no matter where you stay, you'll have a magical time at Walt Disney World. Just consider what might be most important for you; spending more money on the location for easy access or possibly using that extra money on gifts or activities inside and outside of the theme parks, such as
miniature golf! Oh, and as long as you have a
stroller, you'll be just fine no matter where you decide to make your home during your Disney vacation!
Happy planning!
Korliss