Fort Lauderdale to Universal to WDW help please

[glss1/2fll]

My parents are taking the extended family on a cruise! Since this west coast family will be in Florida we thought we might as well take a week and visit the happiest place on earth!! We're renting a car at FLL and driving north. We're going to USO's Royal Pacific Resort 12/27 for one night so we can see the Harry Potter stuff the next day then driving to POP and turning the car in at the Dolphin 12/29. Before we get to Universal we need a grocery store and a laundry mat. Any suggestions? Also I'm trying to figure out tolls. We don't have those in Oregon. Looks like we take the Florida Turnpike for the fastest route there. I haven't contacted the car rental place yet (National) but does anyone know if there will be a Sunpass (I think that's what it's called) stuck on the car and then we'll be billed or do we just pay cash along the way? How does that work? How much are the tolls? Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[bumbershoot]

We drove up the coast from FFL (NOT on the turnpike!) then hung a left at 528. That's a toll road but has manned tolls so I didn't need a sunpass transponder. Takes you to I-4, go east on 4 (through that part of Orlando it *looks* like you're going north, but it's actually, oddly, east) a couple exits, and you're at the Uni exits.

There are laundry rooms at Royal Pacific; don't waste time doing your laundry elsewhere. There are Publix grocery stores, or Whole Foods if you like WF, near Uni.

 

[glss1/2fll]

Thank you! I was hoping Royal Pacific had laundry rooms, but I didn't see it in their amenities. We will need it after a week aboard ship!