wouldnt say the atpls were a zillion times harder (evryone has 1 or2 two subjects that they struggle on ) notably gen navigation, met , theory of flight, instruments. with distance learning it takes a LOT of perseverance , patience and not being afraid to ask for help from whatever source when you inevitably get stuck on certain portions of a subject.
the biggest worry ( certainly for me ) was not knowing was i really ready for the first 7 exams and being very nervous for the first 1 or 2 of them, but after that it settles down. the brush up courses iron out any areas that you are not sure of. as for how long the atpls take, well it depends on how long you can study every day , your apptitude and your perseverance.
i wont sat by any means that its easy but it is very do-able and takes determination more than anything.
good luck with it all and the best of luck. if you want to pm me at anytime feel free.