Hi, Jennifer!
My family has enjoyed several stays at Disney's Art of Animation Resort, most recently just last month. The incredible theming, wonderful pools and excellent
Landscape of Flavors food court make Art of Animation a great resort choice!
While it's true that The Little Mermaid section is the farthest from Animation Hall, we personally found the 5-minute walk through The Lion King section to Animation Hall to be a very pleasant one. All rooms in The Little Mermaid section are Standard Room types furnished with two double beds (or one king bed) and a mini fridge, accommodating up to 4 guests.
The Family Suites in The Lion King, Finding Nemo and Cars sections sleep up to 6 guests and come equipped with one queen bed, one double-size table bed, one double-size sleeper sofa and a kitchenette (microwave, larger mini fridge, sink, counter, cabinets and coffee maker). One of the best features of The Family Suites is that they have two bathrooms (one with a shower and the other with a combination tub/shower). In terms of budget, the nightly rate for a Family Suite is typically more than double that of a Standard Room.
Preferred room types are not offered at Art of Animation as they are at the other Disney Value Resorts. Staying in one of The Family Suites would put you closest to Animation Hall for the food court and the bus loading area out front. I've included a link to an
interactive online map of Disney's Art of Animation Resort which will enable you to zoom in to view the location of The Little Mermaid buildings and The Family Suites buildings in relation to Animation Hall.
Please stop by the Moms Panel again with any other questions you may think of as you continue planning your vacation.
Wishing you a Magical New Year!