Threehearts, have you tried to get a room at the Courtyard Marriott Lake Buena Vista? They have a Thursday through Monday special going on right now and you can get a room for $25 per night in October. If you can get at least some of your days for that price, book it, and then continue to call back and see if the other days become available closer to your date. That is what I did, and I ended up getting the promotional rate for our entire stay!
We really enjoyed our 5 night stay there. The rooms were a nice size, with balconies, were neat and clean. The hotel was very well maintained, and the staff was wonderful! The have a manager's party every afternoon from 4-6 in the lobby lounge where they serve free wine, beer, and sodas, as well as provide snacks.
This hotel shares all of the onsight perks of a WDW resort, and the Disney Village busses service it. I heard no complaints about transportation. You will be within walking distance of DTD and the Crossroads shopping complex.
The pools are nice, there are 2 larger pools, a kiddie pool and a hottub, as well as a playground for the kids. There is also a full service restaurant, and a workout room.
For this sworn "stay on property" type, Courtyard Marriott really turned me around. It may not be themed, but it sure was nice!
Give it a try, and good luck!