Hi Karina, and welcome to planDisney!
You have certainly come to the right place, and it is lovely to see that you will be bringing your husband, your mom and your three-year-old to
Walt Disney World Resort! Talk about creating memories.
You have asked some great questions, and you can not go wrong with any of the Disney Resorts. Still, when my children were the age of your little one, I remember being very deliberate in my decisions because I wanted them to be able to see the themes and believe they were in a magical land (And it worked). My top three resorts are
Disney's Art of Animation Resort (in the Family Suites),
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (because of the animals present), and
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside (because of the Royal Guest rooms).
If this is your first visit, I always recommend no more than a 3 to 4-night stay. Anything more could be overwhelming for a newbie to maneuver through. Also, do not feel obligated to experience all four theme parks on your first visit; 1 or 2 will do, and the rest of the time, you can explore and enjoy all your resort has to offer. If this is not your first visit, about five nights could work because you can have other experiences outside the theme parks.
An add-on that I think will be special is the
Capture Your Moment photo session at Magic Kingdom Park. Having professional photos taken with the backdrop of Cinderella Castle is a beautiful way to remember the memories you have created while engulfed in the magic.
Please let us know how we can further assist you.
Have a magical time!
Raquel