Help please from FL folks ref toll paying tactics.

[famouschinesec]

We will be traveling in Florida in October and will be using some of your lovely toll roads.
#1. Will travel south from the panhandle from I-75 to the Florida Turnpike. Exit 309 down to 267A.
#2 Will travel twice between Disney World and MCO. So basically I-4 and either Rt 528 or Rt 417and the airport.
I will gladly get a sunpass mini or sign up for toll by plate or whatever is necessary to avoid any hassles. Will either one of these electronic systems benefit me on these routes? i.e. will there be separate lanes for electronic vs. cash collection?
If so, which electronic system would you recommend?
I don't care if it costs me a little more, I just really don't wont to sit in a queue to pay a toll.
Hope these questions make sense.
I'm from the Mid-Atlantic and am familiar with the EZ pass system.
Honestly don't understand why Florida doesn't just go with that system as well.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Happy Mom2]

I'm not from FL, but when we went through the tolls last year, we never once waited. I don't see where a pass would save you any time. Don't know if it makes a difference, but we drove down on a Sunday and back on a Saturday.

 

[famouschinesec]

Thank You; that is good info. To clarify. We will be traveling route #1 on a Tuesday, arriving northern end of the route about 12:30 PM.
Route #2. From Disney to the airport on a Wednesday about 5PM;and then returning from MCO around 7PM. The second time on a Sunday departing Disney to MCO around 3:30PM, and returning from MCO about 7:30PM.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

If you come to Florida on a regular basis then purchase a SunPass in advance and have it in your car when you get here. A SunPass Mini is only $5 but must be affixed to your windshield so it's only good if you put it in your personal car. If some visits to Florida involve rental cars then you'd need a regular SunPass unit that is portable and can be placed in whatever car you're using.

As far as your routes:
1) I-75 is free.
2) Florida's Turnpike from I-75 to Exit 267A (TOLL 429) has one toll plaza with a $2.50 toll cash, $2.00 if you have SunPass. This plaza gets backed up with very long lines at times depending on day of week and holidays, etc.
3) TOLL 429 south from the Turnpike to Disney has one toll plaza with a $1.25 toll cash or transponder. There could be a few cars in line but usually not many but yes, those with SunPass do go straight through without stopping.
4) When traveling between Disney and MCO, both routings have two toll plazas each way with no stopping if you have SunPass. The TOLL 528 routing is slightly cheaper.

Florida systems use a different technology than E-ZPass from your area and actually pre-dates the E-ZPass system. Unfortunately there is way too much money invested in it to change it out and make them compatible.

So there you have it.
BobK/Orlando