Hi, Alice!
Thanks for reaching out to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. This is why we're here to help!
I think for any family's first visit, each and every hotel is going to be amazing for your kids. When we started visiting the parks, my kids were one and three-year-old toddlers. We stayed in the
Value Resort Hotels because they met our budget. All Value Resort Hotels have excellent pools, and the decorations are so cool, especially from the perspective of little kids. Using mainly bus transportation was not a problem at all for us since the kids would just fall asleep on us while we return to the resort.
I would honestly make the decision on a hotel based on your price point. Each and every resort is incredible with its theme and experience. The Disney Imagineers do not skimp on details throughout the resorts to make it an unforgettable experience.
That said, if I didn't have to worry about a budget when my kids were little, we would have loved the simplicity of staying at one of the resorts along the monorail so it would be simple to get to and from Magic Kingdom Park. That was their favorite park when they were young, and my 10 and 14-year-old kids both remain committed to spending time there during our vacations.
If you have a question about a particular resort, please let me know! I'm lucky to have stayed in a wide range of Walt Disney World Resort hotels and I'm happy to give you more insight!
-Jen