Hi Valarie,
Sounds as if you are getting started on planning a magical vacation and I'm happy to help you get started. Choosing the perfect resort for you and your family is always a big decision and could be based on lots of factors including theming, cost, convenience and location.
I, personally, love the theming at
Disney's Art of Animation Resort! The attention to even the most subtle details is absolutely amazing. This is not to say that there is not plenty of fun packed into
Disney's All-Star Music Resort. Depending on the interests of your kids and you also having older kids, they could might enjoy the music theme rather than that of some of the Disney classics such as Cars and Finding Nemo. So, this could be a deciding factor. Cost could also come in to play since Disney's Art of Animation is newer and could cost slightly more. However, I think it is totally worth it.
If the pool is something that could influence your decision, then the Big Blue Pool at Disney's Art of Animation is state of the art. It is the largest pool in all of Walt Disney World and includes a heated, zero-entry pool, splash area and you can hear the music underwater. How's that for Disney magic!
In regards to convenience and location, buses at Disney's Art of Animation do not share routes with any other resort, where Disney's All-Star Music has been known to share routes making stops at all of the All-Star resorts. In terms of location, there isn't too much difference. Disney's All-Star Music is slightly closer to Disney's Animal Kingdom, where Art of Animation is slightly closer to the other three theme parks.
I hope I have given you some things to ponder. Regardless of where you stay, I'm sure it will be chock full of pixie dust and magic!
~Allison L