Wow, crazy expensive to pay for tolls now in Orlando!

[Alexander]

I think if they changed the tollways (417 or 528) from MCO or Sanford to Disney to electronic only, we would have heard about it. That's about the only way you can get from the airport to Disney unless you go some backroads.

Absolutley!

They have in the past several years installed very new and I'm sure, expensive toll stations. If they were going completely cash less, everyone would stay on the highway, driving under the sensors. Since these toll stations are so new, I cannot believe they are just going to abandon them. The WDW area is too touristy to go cashless.

 

[Jcricket Fan]

Here is info. from the Florida Turnpike website.

The all electronic tolling is not in the Orlando area.

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/FAQs.cfm

Hope this helps.

Colleen

 

[Polydweller]

You know, I just don't see how it would be possible for there to be a toll system where cash is 100% not possible. Especially in such a tourist place. There will ALWAYS be people driving their own cars long distances, who do not have any sort of transponder in the car. So...I don't believe them.

Well, we have one here in Toronto, Ontario, the 407, that goes across the entire north of the city. Without a transponder, cameras at both entrance and exit take pictures of your license plate. You then get a bill in the mail for the distance travelled between where you entered the 407 and where you left it.

No toll booths anywhere on that road. And they have agreements with most provinces and states so you pay even if you aren't from Ontario. So yep, it can work, does work and so believe them that they can do it.

 

[book_junkie]

Dallas has cashless. Nice new tollroads, booths for where the people should go, blocked off, and everyone goes through the transponder booths. If you don't have a toll tag, then you get your car's plate recorded front and back, and at least in Texas, they track you down and mail you your tolls. And add on because they had to mail you and you don't have the toll tag. However, there are options for going around the toll roads.

When we were down last October/November, National tried the hard sell with their toll pass thing (I forget what it was called)- we declined and paid all of $5 total ( I think) for our two different trips in the cash taking stations. We made sure to get quarters before we left the airport. Same plan this time around, too. If it turns out that they go cashless, then my lovely GPS knows how to find the toll-free roads.

 

[maciec]

We also had this appear on our Budget reservation that we would automatically be enrolled int their program ( no transponder) they would pay the tolls from the license number and charge a very large service fee to do so. Only tolls down in Miami are non attended.

For Budget
$2.50 fee per rental day plus tolls (at posted cash/Toll by Plate rates)
$10.00 maximum weekly fee plus tolls(at posted cash/Toll by Plate rates)

How do we get out of this?

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

For Budget
$2.50 fee per rental day plus tolls (at posted cash/Toll by Plate rates)
$10.00 maximum weekly fee plus tolls(at posted cash/Toll by Plate rates)
How do we get out of this?

You get out of it by paying cash at each toll plaza you go through. If you pay cash, the camera does not photograph your rental car's tag. If the tag does not get photographed, they don't send a bill to the rental car company. If the rental car company doesn't front any toll money for you, then there should be no daily charge.

By the way, here is a picture of what most of the toll plazas look like around Orlando including both of them on TOLL 417 between MCO and Disney. If you're paying cash, exit to the right, stop & pay and merge back in. Those with a transponder remain to the left and proceed at highway speeds. If you're taking TOLL 528 from MCO to Disney then the toll plaza adjacent the airport does NOT have this set-up but the one near Florida Mall does.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SR_417_University_Toll_Plaza.jpg

BobK/Orlando

 

[maciec]

the way that I was reading it, they charge you the $2.50 per day whether you use it or not. I hope I am wrong.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

the way that I was reading it, they charge you the $2.50 per day whether you use it or not. I hope I am wrong.

I don't believe that's the case since there are many places in Florida you can drive to and never encounter a toll road. Unlike some other rental companies where you are actually given a SunPass transponder in the vehicle, your company is not doing anything but paying for your tolls if they get billed by the toll agency. If you pay cash, that won't happen. So they shouldn't charge you.

BobK/Orlando

 

[maciec]

I don't believe that's the case since there are many places in Florida you can drive to and never encounter a toll road. Unlike some other rental companies where you are actually given a SunPass transponder in the vehicle, your company is not doing anything but paying for your tolls if they get billed by the toll agency. If you pay cash, that won't happen. So they shouldn't charge you.

BobK/Orlando

I hope you are right!

 

[Polydweller]

the way that I was reading it, they charge you the $2.50 per day whether you use it or not. I hope I am wrong.

You are kind of wrong. You are only charged if you activate the service by driving through an electronic lane. Then it is $2.50 per day for each day of your rental.

You get around this by never activating it. Just go through the pay only lanes. Adds very little time to your trip.

 

[maciec]

YAY! I understand now. Thanks!

 

[Tink575]

FWIW there is an unmanned .50 or .75 toll at the Celebration exit off 417 if anyone is getting off there.

We use Dollar and got a bill from them for toll booths we went through with our SunPass. We had the proof the tolls were charged to our SunPass, but it was a hassle. SunPass had billed Dollar for these tolls so the error was on their end. I think the tolls are a huge headache for the rental car companies in general.

 

[disneymarie]

Does this mean that Dollar or which ever partipating agency will add the admisitrative cost fee to the rental if you opt out then?

Opt-In Requirements For Using Toll Road

Customers are clearly notified of the potential of the $25.00 Admin fee when they decline.

 

[buckeev]

Dallas has cashless. Nice new tollroads, booths for where the people should go, blocked off, and everyone goes through the transponder booths......

yep....Houston area also!....it'll probably only take 750 years for the tolls to pay anywhere near what it cost to build the new highways!

 

[goofy4tink]

the way that I was reading it, they charge you the $2.50 per day whether you use it or not. I hope I am wrong.

I know that when I rented through Budget at Sanford last April, they tried to talk me into doing the rental transponder thingie. I politely declined. We had the car for about 10 days..no way was I paying that kind of daily charge. We just paid cash at all tolls.

 

[DonnaLeah]

To the original OP. We rented with Dollar last week and used cash tolls for both the 417 and the 508. I think I just opted out of the prepayment for the tolls; no worries.
Like a previous poster said, just keep to the right toll booths and have some spare quarters.

 

[Disney Dukers]

FWIW there is an unmanned .50 or .75 toll at the Celebration exit off 417 if anyone is getting off there.

We use Dollar and got a bill from them for toll booths we went through with our SunPass. We had the proof the tolls were charged to our SunPass, but it was a hassle. SunPass had billed Dollar for these tolls so the error was on their end. I think the tolls are a huge headache for the rental car companies in general.

That is what we are worried about, that sounds like such a hassle. I hope that doesn't happen to us.

 

[Disney Dukers]

To the original OP. We rented with Dollar last week and used cash tolls for both the 417 and the 508. I think I just opted out of the prepayment for the tolls; no worries.
Like a previous poster said, just keep to the right toll booths and have some spare quarters.

Sounds like you had a good experience. I hope the same happens for us.

 

[Cheroot]

Oh my goodness..scaring me now. I don't know the area at all. What is the best way for me to drive from Pompano using only cash on tolls? Is there a way to avoid tolls at all? Thanks leaving in 4 days

 

[bumbershoot]

Does this mean that Dollar or which ever partipating agency will add the admisitrative cost fee to the rental if you opt out then?

Opt-In Requirements For Using Toll Road

Customers are clearly notified of the potential of the $25.00 Admin fee when they decline.

I could be wrong, but isn't that fee charged IF you blow through a toll without paying, and the toll place bills the rental car place?