We've never stayed in a cabin but do "camp" at Ft Wilderness in our fifth wheel quite a bit, probably a couple of dozen times in the past 25 years.
I've done FW as well as all three resort levels and here's my take:
Pros
1. Our camper was smaller back in the day than the one we have now but we had our outside space as well. DH and I could relax outside while the kiddos slept. We found it difficult in a Deluxe and next to impossible in a Moderate or Value.
Let me paint a picture:
It's 1991. DD is three, a fairly light sleeper and needs a nap, badly. DS,6, also needs a nap but that's not gonna happen. DS is a jumpy, highly energetic, noisy kid and prone to mischief. Over the course of a morning in the Magic Kingdom he has managed to get on everyone's last nerve, including a few unfortunate random strangers who had the misfortune of getting in line next to us. DH just wants to be sitting on a beach somewhere, beer in hand.
In a hotel room either DH or I will have to take the boy out to the pool or arcade or something and chase him around there so the DD can get some sleep. This is exhausting but DD doesn't do well napless and without one there is a 95% chance that, later that evening, one parent would be returning to the room with her. I am old school and did not tolerate tantrums in the parks. With DD no nap=99.9999% chance of tantrums. DS did not throw tantrums, he caused them.
In the camper DD can nap in one room while DS watches a video (and perhaps, per chance, oh please, please God, falls asleep) in the other while DH and I enjoy a cold adult beverage out on our "patio."
When they got older DH dropped out of the annual WDW trip and the camper was no longer an option. Two teenagers in a small (though much larger than the camper) hotel room was not nearly as comfy. At 14 DD still needed that nap. At 17 DS was still loud and energetic although now blessedly capable of going to the pool alone.
2. I really liked having more control over what my family ate. (Warning-Criticism of WDW incoming!). I find the Disney eats overpriced and just okay in terms of taste. In the 90s healthy CS for the kiddos was sparse to non-existent. We did do a lot of experience (character , Sci Fi, World Showcase) type meals but were able to pass on the rest. I would guess that 75-80% of our meals were either brown bag or eaten back at the camper. This has the additional benefit of being a huge money saver.
I agree that, when compared to a resort, food service is not nearly as convenient but we found having a fridge/cabinets full of our favorite snacks, breakfasts and dinners very, very nice. No frantic search for somewhere that offered one of the exactly four things DD would eat at age two. No need to round everyone up and make them put on pants (I'm looking at you, DH!) to tromp over to a food court or restaurant for a meal. No awkward eating in a hotel room either. In all these years I don't think we've ever had CS at Ft Wilderness, maybe nachos by the pool or something like that but that would be it.
3. I guess I'm not a 24/7 "magic" kind of girl. After a busy day of in-your-face theme park madness I liked (and still do) the relative quiet of the campground. I stay in hotels on my solo trips and I still miss it. My next trip is solo to Pop Century and I know I'll get weary of the crowds and the noise before I leave.
4. What with the stroller, the diaper bag, the bag full of water/healthy snacks and my car seat fetish we preferred to drive and loved, loved, loved having the truck right outside the door. I could load that thing up the night before so that getting ready in the mornings was quick and easy. We drove everywhere but the MK.
Cons
1. Don't care for the pools. River Country was open when the kids were young and we used that. The ones available now are pretty lackluster in comparison.
2. Transportation is a pain if you're not driving. Now that it's just DH and I we do enjoy the various adult beverages to be found around the World and often prefer not to drive. It's a whole lot easier from a hotel type resort than our campsite.
