Driving from MA tips? Also Florida tolls?

[mtemm]

We are headed down to wdw in July and are driving this time. Dh and I did it once many years ago pre-kids, but that was 19 years ago! Any tips? Kids are 15/13/13 so can entertain themselves. We will be stopping overnight in MD on the way down (sister lives there) and then again in either Amelia island or st Augustine because we want a beach day before our wdw trip. On the way back we will only be stopping overnight in VA (other sister lives there).

Also, I don't think Florida uses EZ pass, right? What is the best way to deal with tolls? Do they bill you via licence plate like MA does if you don't have their transponder, or do we need to have cash?

 

[rcs]

We've done the trip (from NH) a couple of times. It's a long drive that I don't much care for. You've got specific stops on the way down, but I might recommend the inland route for your return trip (I-77 / I-81). I dislike that route less than I-95 the whole way. It's more scenic and it avoids some of the heavy traffic spots and a pile of very expensive tolls on I-95. I personally think it's faster.

As for tolls in FL... they do toll-by-plate at most plazas, but it includes a surcharge. There are two toll authorities in the Orlando area. E-Pass (CFX Authority) and Sun Pass. They are compatible with each other, but neither is yet compatible with EZ Pass :-(. So, on last trip, I finally broke down and got and mail-ordered $9.95 E Pass portable transponder. Other posters on this forum have done the same with Sun Pass.

 

[joelkfla]

You can also bill tolls to your credit card using the PayTollo app on your smart phone. A few DISers have tried it and said it worked well.

You will be charged the cash toll rather than the discounted electronic toll, plus a minimal convenience fee, which is probably less than the Toll-By-Plate fee.

I don't think Toll-By-Plate is available on the cash portions of the Turnpike, just on Orlando area tolls.

 

[mtemm]

Thanks! Will look into paytollo. I wonder if it makes sense to get the transponder so will check that too. I do wish it was all just ez pass!

 

[rcs]

Thanks! Will look into paytollo. I wonder if it makes sense to get the transponder so will check that too. I do wish it was all just ez pass!

Couldn't agree more... I too wish it were EZ Pass compatible. You can drive from Maine through Georgia with your EZ Pass. Then you get to Florida and no siree! There was a federal transportation law (referred to as MAP-21) enacted in 2012 that mandated electronic toll interoperability for any roadways that received federal funding by 2016. So much for that. :-(

 

[DVC4US]

If you are traveling I-95 to I-4 to get to WDW, there are no tolls - if you take a different route this might change. Not sure what you might run into if you decide to do St Augustine.

 

[joelkfla]

If you are traveling I-95 to I-4 to get to WDW, there are no tolls - if you take a different route this might change. Not sure what you might run into if you decide to do St Augustine.

True, but if I-4 is backed up thru Orlando, the best alternative is usually Toll 417 from Sanford to WDW. I don't know whether all of the toll booths on 417 have Toll-By-Plate available, but they do all take cash 24/7.

 

[mtemm]

I'm not really sure what route we will take in Florida. Whatever is fastest! Lol. We will actually be staying a night after the beach night with friends in winter springs, and again a couple of nights after wdw with them again. Does that change things?