Hi Julann!
Thank you for visiting the Moms Panel!
A first visit to Walt Disney World is always a very exciting one!
This is a great question! The Value Resorts are very nice, very clean with terrific theming - fantastic fun for children of all ages. They have large pools (heated all year round), and food courts with a large selection of foods, including healthy options. The Disney buses stop at all the value resorts and you can take advantage of staying at a Disney resort, such as using Extra Magic Hours at the theme parks where resort guests can enter the parks an hour earlier than regular opening time, or stay at the park for a few hours after it closes (each theme park has Extra Magic Hours on selected days, check the calendar for each park).
If you wish to visit the theme parks on four separate days, you will need to purchase a four-day pass.
There is a lot of choice when choosing a Value Resort,
see here for details.
If there is anything else I can help you with while planning your first magical vacation, please come back and ask me!