Nancy, you are torn between two of my favorite resorts. I love the quiet, secluded feel of both resorts. Each has great rooms, fun pools and a unique theme.
Some of the differences:
Port Orleans -- French Quarter is a short boat ride from Downtown Disney, but will require a bus to all the theme parks. It is one of the smallest resorts, so I haven't found the queues for the buses to be long there. There is no table service restaurant, only a food court (which makes hot beignets, yum!).
The resort is a short stroll from Port Orleans -- Riverside, which has an awesome playground, a fishing hole for kids and other amenities your son might enjoy. It has a Louisiana-themed restaurant, Boatwright's.
Wilderness Lodge is a 5-minute water taxi ride from Magic Kingdom and is also near the Fort Wilderness resort and the deluxe hotels served by the monorail. Besides a food court, Wilderness Lodge has Whispering Canyon Cafe, a family style restaurant, and the signature dining Artist Point, one of my Top 5 Disney restaurants.
You will need to use the buses to the other theme parks and Downtown Disney. Again, I haven't found lines here to be very long.
If you plan to spend a lot of time at Magic Kingdom and if you intend to return to your room for midday naps, Wilderness Lodge will be significantly more convenient. It also has a
supervised children's activity center, in case you want an adult evening out.
I hope that helps you assess whether you want to spend the extra money for Wilderness Lodge. My family tends toward less expensive accommodations and more expensive dining, but our children are older, so proximity isn't as important to us.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions. I'm sure you will have a wonderful vacation with your family, whichever resort your choose. Enjoy!
Wilma