Hi Shelley,
Thank you for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel. My daughter loves staying in the Little Mermaid section of Disney's Art of Animation Resort, given the option, it is always her first pick!
The walk from the front of the resort is a little longer, however, there is plenty to see along the way to keep younger children occupied. I would actually prefer this walk in comparison to several of the walks to the buses at Moderate Resorts. Depending on the speed you are walking, I find it is roughly a 5-10 minute walk to the Little Mermaid section of the Resort. Along the way you will discover lots of different characters and items from Classic Disney Films. We stayed at this resort when my daughter was 5 years old and she was able to do the walk without an issue, she would actually take the long way because she loved all the statues throughout the resort. We stayed at Art of Animation last fall and she was 8, and still loved discovering new things along the walk. She would bring her iPod and take "selfies" with her favourite statues, it was super cute!
Even though the walk may be longer, there are so many other factors that make up for the walk.
The Big Blue Pool is my favourite pool on Walt Disney World Resort Property, the theming and water features are incredible!
Landscape of Flavors, the Quick-Service Dining Location at Disney's Art of Animation Resort is also amazing, I find there are several food selections and options that aren't typically available at Quick-Service Locations.
I hope that puts your minds at ease, Shelley. Please let us know if you have any other questions, we are always here to help.
Stephanie