Hello to a fellow Canadian!
It's great that you're planning ahead for your first Walt Disney World vacation.
My top pick would be
Disney's Polynesian Resort.
A family of 5 is accommodated with 2 Queen beds as
well as sleeper sofa. The Nanea Volcano Pool, complete with water slide is great fun for the boys. A great beach from which you can enjoy
the Wishes Fireworks in the distance or the Electric Water Pageant as it
passes by is an added bonus. There's even an onsite Children's Activity
Center, the Never Land Club, where for an hourly fee your children can
enjoy supervised activities while
YOU
enjoy a quiet evening out! Dining here is phenomenal and your
transportation to the Magic Kingdom is via monorail or a short boat
ride. There's even the added convenience of the Epcot monorail within walking distance. This resort unfortunately does not have a hot tub on site.
Now, as far as a great resort that's centrally located to almost
ALL of the parks, I'd recommend
Disney's Beach Club Resort. The water activities at this resort cannot be beat and my own 10 year old son just loves it there! Multiple hot tubs, sand bottomed pools, beaches, a Pirate Ship water slide and even a lazy river fill the Stormalong Bay pool area. Dining options are plentiful with not only Beach Club dining but also the adjacent Yacht Club and neighbouring BoardWalk resort area. This resort also has a Children's Activity Center, the Sandcastle Club. Epcot is a short walk, Hollywood Studios is a short boat ride and Magic Kingdom is a short bus ride away. Animal Kingdom transportation is also by bus.
Feel free to visit often with your questions as I'd love to help you make some great choices for your fabulous holiday!
Thanks for visiting the Moms Panel Kate!
Kirsten