I'm an avid cyclist, so I will try to answer this for you.
I actually recommend the cheaper option. The benefits of a carbon fork are lighter weight, and that it absorbs road vibration better in some cases. However, it is also more prone to breakage and failure than a steel fork (especially budget carbon forks) and besides, those 700x32 tires are wide enough that they are going to absorb most of the road vibration on their own.
As for disk brakes, they are better in rain or icy conditions, but newer riders are unlikely to want to ride in those conditions anyway, and furthermore disk brakes are notoriously difficult to adjust (especially budget models), prone to 'creaking' unless you have hydraulic disks and/or a solid thru-axle, and can make changing flats more cumbersome.
Finally I will add that no matter how much you love your first bike, you are going to outgrow it fairly quickly if you become serious about cycling. If that happens, eventually you are going to want a nicer bike anyway. If cycling does not become a serious hobby, then hey, you saved $100 and you can still use the bike for the occasional ride or trip to the grocery store.
Look at this bike as a way to get back into riding, to learn how to 'wrench' and do your own maintenance, and to familiarize yourself with the style of riding that you prefer. Keep in mind that you are probably also going to need to buy some other stuff to go along with your bike, including a floor pump, a mini C02 inflator or 'frame pump', extra tubes, a patch kit, tire levers, lights, a multitool, and maybe a helmet.
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