Hi Franchesca,
The
Grand Floridian is such a beautiful resort. You are going to have a fabulous time there.
While there is a walkway that will take you from the Grand Floridian through the Polynesian Village Resort to the Transportation and Ticket Center, I would not recommend that as a way to get to Epcot more quickly unless you plan to stop at
Kona Cafe or
'Ohana for breakfast on the way. (Both are scrumptious options, by the way). I don't think walking will save you any time, and I like to reserve my steps for inside the parks.
As you said, you can take the monorail from the Grand Floridian to the TTC, then transfer to the Epcot monorail. Or you can take bus from Grand Floridian directly to
Epcot.
My family has done it both ways, and we find that the bus is the fastest and most efficient mode of transportation for that particular route.
The bus stop at Grand Floridian has monitors that let you know what time you can expect the next bus to each park, so it takes the guesswork and the stress out of waiting.
For the return to your resort, I would take the monorail to the TTC, then transfer to the resort monorail. Grand Floridian is the second stop from the TTC so you will be back in no time.
Thanks for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question. Please let us know if we can offer any more help in planning your October vacation. Enjoy!
Wilma