Traveling with overactive bladder

I think doing this by bus would be rightly challenging. The busses will usually make a break stop on a longer trip, but it may still feel dicey for you. I think renting a car for the stretch between Zagreb and Split will be your best bet. That would also allow you to tour Plitvice on your ideal terms, which is probably worth it alone. The roads are good and if you look at the map the drives are pretty straightforward. There are just a few main roads connecting these cities. But then drop the car in Split and take the ferry. The ferry is big, comfortable, scenic and bathroom friendly.

I wouldn’t worry about this within Plitvice. There are big bathrooms at the entrances and at the larger picnic area deeper in the park. If you’re seeing it in the late afternoon and early morning as is recommended, then the crowds won’t be an issue and you can move at a decent pace. You won’t spend more than about two hours on either main trail.

Are people going to Plitvice Lakes 2 separate times over 2 days when you say its recommended to see it in the late afternoon and early morning?

Would the crowds still be an issue in mid-September? I thought that was supposed to be shoulder season in Croatia, and so it wouldn't be as bad.

Not going to lie, but I find those ticket prices for Plitvice Lakes for one day to be already kinda high.

I didn't expect Croatia to be the bargain it was 20 years ago, but it seems like, in some ways, its more expensive than Italy.

I want to verify that I'm not overlooking anything about renting a car.

You would rent a car in Zagreb on 1rst day, and drive to hotel near Plitvice Lakes and see it Plitvice Lakes in late afternoon on 1rst day.

On second day, you'd go into Plitvice Lakes a second time early in the morning, and then drive to Split and drop off that car.

So, you'd be renting the car for 2 days.

Including a one way fee, the cheapest option for automatic car would be around $250 for those 2 days. Add tolls and gas, and it'd cost around $300 to rent the car.

Does that sound about right?

You’re right OP, that’s a steep price. More than I expected for sure. For more detail: I took a Flixbus from Split to Plitvice. This had a stop in Zadar, so there was a bathroom break. There were also thunderstorms that resulted in us being a full hour late. That bus ride ended up being almost five hours. My bus from Plitvice was a different company, there were no stops between Zagreb. There was definitely no bathroom on that small bus.

When you look at Plitvice, especially with public transportation, it’s just tough to do in a day if you’re not staying the night. So, the late afternoon - morning visit makes sense logistically in addition to the crowd avoidance. And yeah, it’s not cheap, and a hotel room there isn’t either. Though if you stay at one of the park hotels your ticket is valid for the both days. It’s easy for me to say it’s worth it, but it all has to work for you. Just might be something that has to wait for a future opportunity.

How big these concerns loom are for you to decide. But if it’s a feeling a bit much, a more radical alternative would be a quick flight to Dubrovnik from Zagreb. From there you could ferry up to Korcula or Hvar, avoiding Split/Plitvice entirely this time around. Wish I had better advice, getting around Croatia can be a challenge.

Consider adult incontinence briefs? I'm not kidding, I think this might provide reassurance.

Has this person tried the over-the-counter patches for this condition?