We stayed at the Cabins the end of Sept. beginning of Oct. in 2000 and highly reccomend it. I thought the walk to the buses were not bad at all, but the walk to the pool was too long for us. We rented a golf cart and it was worth every penny! We took it for morning rides around the park to see the peacocks and other wildlife, and it was handy to get to the laundry at night.
The kids LOVED having their "own" room and television - the murphy bed was comfy, and we loved the peace and quiet. As for not feeling "Disney-ish", I can't say that I agree. The petting zoo is very nice, the Trails End Buffet was terrific, and very very reasonable - the Hoop De Doo Review is there, and the Trading Post is fun too...the boat ride to the Magic Kingdom is fun (the ride back in the dark is even nicer, with the castle lit up behind you... a nice way to say goodbye to a day at the parks). My kids fished in the canal, rode trail horses, and participated in the campfire sing -a-long with Chip and Dale. We even rented surry bikes there and rode around. It was a very family oriented vacation.
It's so peaceful and relaxing - especially if you have kids and need down time. The only thing I found disappointing were the pools. The kids didn't seem to mind - water is water... but I had hoped for more.
I don't think you'll regret a minute spent at the cabins. Have a wonderful time!
S