Hi Carmen,
Thank you for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel. We love to help guests to plan magical vacations. How exciting to be planning your first trip to Walt Disney World!
I suggest that you start by ordering the
Walt Disney World planning DVD. Have your whole family watch it and weigh in with what they are most interested in. There is a lot to do at Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Which parks you choose to visit and which you might choose to skip depends on your family members' interests. If your children are excited about animals, you will definitely want to spend some time at Disney's Animal Kingdom taking in attractions such as Kilimanjaro Safaris, on which you can see amazing animals such as giraffes and elephants. If your older children are thrill-seekers and your younger one loves Disney Junior, you may find that some time at Disney's Hollywood Studios is in order to ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and seeing Disney Junior - Live on Stage!. Epcot has always been a favorite for my family, with attractions for the whole family such as Spaceship Earth and a casual stroll around World Showcase.
Deciding if you need the Park Hopper option for your family will depend on how you want to experience your vacation. Having the Park Hopper option can allow for greater flexibility if you want to head to more than one theme park in a day, or if you finish up earlier at one theme park than you had expected. However, if you plan your days to visit and experience all that you want to at one theme park each day, you may not need the Park Hopper option.
I hope that these thoughts are helpful for you, Carmen. Have a wonderful time planning your vacation, and please do let us know if you have any further questions.