Hi Arnetta! A birthday trip, what fun!
Disney has three main resort price levels: Deluxe, Moderate and Value. Our family always stays at value resorts and we love them. The pools, decoration (themes), games rooms and price are just right for us! Check out this link for the four resorts in the value category:
The All Star Sports, Music and Movies, and the Pop Century.
The hotels in the Moderate level are fantastic too! There are five resorts to chose from in this category:
the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, Disney's Caribbean Beach, Disney's Coronado Springs, Disney's Port Orleans Riverside and Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter. Each resort has their own feel and charm. At the Caribbean Beach resort I loved the laid-back 'island' feel (plus they have pirate-themed rooms which are fun!). At Port Orleans French Quarter I just loved the 'New Orleans' feel and the jazz music.
While none of the value or moderate resorts have a monorail stop, you can still enjoy the monorail. There are two separate monorail loops. You can catch one of the monorails at the Magic Kingdom and you can catch the other loop at Epcot. For our family, at least one ride on the monorail is a necessity!
Here is a little more Birthday magic: if you are going to a theme park on your son's birthday, make sure to stop by guest relations (inside the part entrance) to pick up a complimentary Celebration button so he can wear it throughout the day. I can tell you from experience that it is very fun to people recognize that it is your special day! Have an absolutely magical birthday trip!