to the DIS!
The first thing you need to know is what your budget is going to be, and that will help to start figuring out what kind of vacation you can afford. Will you be flying or driving?
Know that mid-summer is one of the busiest times to visit WDW and as a result, it's one of the more-expensive times to visit, also. You may want to plan a longer vacation so you can spend the hot afternoons at your resort or in the pool, and that may mean choosing a Value resort over a Moderate or Deluxe.
With a family of 4, any of the resorts will accommodate you, from the basic Value resorts to the Deluxe resorts. Many people (my family among them) prefer to stay on-site in the Disney resorts; it doesn't bother us to have all 4 of us in one room. Others prefer off-site condos or vacation homes so they can spread out and have more space. If you are flying and stay on-site, you don't have to have a rental car - Disney picks you up at the airport and delivers you to your resort, handles your luggage for you and takes you back and forth between the parks.
You have plenty of time to book your vacation, so first decide how much you can spend and for how long and then just start reading here on the DIS. There's a board for the Disney Resorts that will tell you all you need to know about all the various Disney properties. There's another board that can help you with staying off-site. There is a board for the Disney Restaurants to help you figure out if you want a Dining Plan and where to make your reservations (ADRs).
You might consider picking up a guidebook like The Unofficial Guide to WDW, or the Passporter. Both are good books that can help you navigate your first Disney vacation. Have fun planning!
