Hi Karen!
Thank you for sending in your question to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel!
All of the Disney hotels are nice places to stay and they can be sorted into the following categories:
- Disney Deluxe Villas
- Disney Deluxe Resorts
- Disney Moderate Resorts
- Disney Value Resorts
Many guests would say the "best" resorts are the Deluxe Resorts. As you go up from a Value to a Deluxe, you get a little more room, more services and amenities, a nicer pool, a slightly better location, etc, etc. However, it is also true that as you go up, the price gets higher and higher.
With a 4 year old, if budget isn't an issue, then you should look at a Magic Kingdom monorail resort: Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and the Contemporary. All are Disney Deluxe Resorts. Being on the monorail will give you easy access to the Magic Kingdom and, via a monorail transfer at the Transportation and Ticket Center, to Epcot. If those resorts are too expensive, another option is the Wilderness Lodge, a Magic Kingdom resort that is not on the monorail.
However, if you don't mind using Disney buses to get around, you should also consider the new Art of Animation Resort. It is a Disney Value Resort, but it is brand new and the photographs from that resort look absolutely amazing. This might be a good compromise from being "in the magic" while staying on a budget.
Our responses are limited in length, but I hope this helps! Please write back with more questions!