Hi Lori,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! What a wonderful surprise for your Mom! I am sure you will make some very special memories!
In my opinion,
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is worth the additional cost. The Resort is beautiful; the African art decor, the views of the savanna, and the exotic animals make it one of my family's favorite places to stay when we visit the Walt Disney World Resort.
Although the Resort is close to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, it's situated further away from the other Theme Parks than
Disney's Pop Century Resort is. Disney Bus Transportation runs on an average of every 20 minutes from all Walt Disney World Resort Hotels so, I would plan for about a 45 minutes of travel time (including the wait for a Bus) to get from Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge to Epcot, Magic Kingdom Park, and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Should you decide to move your Resort reservation to Disney' Animal Kingdom Lodge then I suggest making an Advanced Dining Reservation at
Sanaa in
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. The menu is delicious and you'll get a gorgeous view of the animals roaming the savanna.
Please stop back by should you have any more vacation planning questions!
Magical Wishes,
Susan