How exciting you are planning a second Walt DIsney World vacation, Katie! All three of the resorts you are considering are great choices! I actually stayed in a Little Mermaid guest room last December and loved the attention to detail at every turn! One of the my favorite benefits of staying at either Disney's Art of Animation Resort or Disney's Pop Century Resort is that they offer dedicated bus service and do not usually share with any other resort. With that being said, I love being able to take the Sassagoula River Cruise to Downtown Disney from Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. I also love the beautiful landscaping, fun recreational activities and relaxing atmosphere at Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. The feature pools at the moderate resorts also have waterslides, which may be of interest to your boys. I would recommend following this link to view the photo gallery and to learn more about
Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. Popular recreational activities offered at this resort include catch and release fishing, horse-drawn carriage rides, watercraft rentals. surrey and regular bike rentals, Cajun campfire, plus much more.
Based on your resort choices, I would personally choose Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort if you are looking to experience something new, planning a visit to Downtown Disney, and are interested in various recreational activities. With that being said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the resort choices mentioned above. If you do decide to go with a Value Resort, then I would recommend Disney's Art of Animation Resort due to the immersive storybook theming and The Big Blue Pool. I hope this information helps in making your decision. Please don't hesitate to write me back if you have any additional questions. Best wishes for a
magical trip!
Happy Planning,
Jodie