Avoiding sunpass transponder fees for rental car

[Cpdiswinter]

I am assuming that this info is somewhere but I couldn't find it so I apologize. We are flying in and renting a car with a really good rate so I don't want to add to it with the sunpass charges. We won't be using toll roads except for the airport route to Disney and back once. Orlando still has cash only booths? How do I make sure we find them and how many are there? If the answer is "depends on which route you take". Please give me a route, and I will take it!

Also, the road outside of disney is toll free correct?

Thanks so much! I have learned a lot reading these boards... I don't post because I know close to nothing about disney!

 

[francie57]

We always take the South Exit out of the airport - Route 417. This leads directly to exits for Disney. We always use Exit 6 since we stay at the Epcot resorts but you can get to any of the resorts from that Exit. If you follow that route there will be two $1.50 tolls each way for a total of 4 tolls on a round trip to and from the airport. There are manned booths at both tolls. Just make sure when you see the signs for the upcoming toll that you stay to the right (will almost look like you are exiting) since that is where the toll booths are. If you don't and pass under the express lanes for sunpass you will be charged a fee by the rental car company for not paying the toll and they will also charge you for the toll.

 

[Cpdiswinter]

Perfect and thank you!

 

[ParkHopperFan]

We always take the South Exit out of the airport - Route 417. This leads directly to exits for Disney. We always use Exit 6 since we stay at the Epcot resorts but you can get to any of the resorts from that Exit. If you follow that route there will be two $1.50 tolls each way for a total of 4 tolls on a round trip to and from the airport. There are manned booths at both tolls. Just make sure when you see the signs for the upcoming toll that you stay to the right (will almost look like you are exiting) since that is where the toll booths are. If you don't and pass under the express lanes for sunpass you will be charged a fee by the rental car company for not paying the toll and they will also charge you for the toll.

Francie is correct but I believe that the rates have gone up. We were last there this summer and I believe it will be around $3.75 or $4.00 each way between I-4 and the airport.

The worst is the toll booth right before the airport. It's Florida's way of squeezing you for that last $1 before leaving. As if you haven't spent enough!!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

At the rental counter, decline the automatic toll or transponder option on your rental contract and check the final price to be sure that option is not included, before you sign.

Check for a transponder in the car (usually next to the center rear view mirror) and be sure it is switched off if it has a switch.

Wait in the manual toll booth lanes to pay cash and get a receipt each time.

 

[dioxide45]

If you take the North Exit, all of the toll booths from the airport to I4 west have cash lanes.

 

[MillauFr]

I thought paying $4.99 for Sunpass transponder was cheap piece of mind. No worries about having cash for the toll. No worries about the rental car company charging us for tolls after the fact. No worries about stopping at any of the toll booths. Plus you get a discount on all of the tolls.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, 417 is south of the airport. 528 is north. Both have cash lanes that are super-easy to notice and stop at. Just have a roll of quarters at hand (I put it in a snack ziptop baggie and open it BEFORE getting on the road).

I thought paying $4.99 for Sunpass transponder was cheap piece of mind. No worries about having cash for the toll. No worries about the rental car company charging us for tolls after the fact. No worries about stopping at any of the toll booths. Plus you get a discount on all of the tolls.

But that payment to the rental agency is per day, right? How many times in a trip are you getting on the toll roads? We go all over the area, stay upwards of 2 weeks in general, and generally hit the toll roads *maybe* three times total including the airport trips.

I see your location...if a toll pass for a rental at Seatac costs $5 per day (plus toll) and someone will be crossing the 520 bridge twice during their week-long visit, don't you see that as just a teensy bit silly and wasteful?

 

[sam_gordon]

OP, 417 is south of the airport. 528 is north. Both have cash lanes that are super-easy to notice and stop at. Just have a roll of quarters at hand (I put it in a snack ziptop baggie and open it BEFORE getting on the road).




But that payment to the rental agency is per day, right? How many times in a trip are you getting on the toll roads? We go all over the area, stay upwards of 2 weeks in general, and generally hit the toll roads *maybe* three times total including the airport trips.

I see your location...if a toll pass for a rental at Seatac costs $5 per day (plus toll) and someone will be crossing the 520 bridge twice during their week-long visit, don't you see that as just a teensy bit silly and wasteful?

When we've rented from Budget and National in Florida, they charge you the fee only for the days you're on the toll road. So if you use the transponder from MCO to WDW, keep the car a week at WDW, then use it from WDW to MCO, you get charged for two days. Is it a "rip off"? Yes, but one I'm willing to pay.

 

[sympatico]

When we've rented from Budget and National in Florida, they charge you the fee only for the days you're on the toll road. So if you use the transponder from MCO to WDW, keep the car a week at WDW, then use it from WDW to MCO, you get charged for two days. Is it a "rip off"? Yes, but one I'm willing to pay.

Alamo and National only charge you on the days you use the tolls (plus the toll amount) but Budget/Avis charge you for every day of the rental whether you use tolls or not plus the toll amounts.
https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

It is still $4.99 everyday you travel on the toll road. So if you are on a toll road on Monday, Tue and Thurs. you are paying $4.99 each day plus the Sunpass price of each toll booth you pass through.

 

[robinb]

Call me cheap, but I don't take the transponder and I only pay one toll each way. Here is the way to avoid the toll nearest to the airport on 528 according to seashoreCM.

NOTE: This is the route that I take and I find coming back a little tricky and I accidentally get off too soon. Be aware that this is from 2012 so the pricing of the tolls is not right.

Airport north exit, left at first light (Frontage).
Next light (Conway) left and immediately another light, left onto 528 west.
Watch for signs, go down what looks like an exit ramp to pay the toll (about $1.)
Takes you to I-4; go west (southwest). Disney exits come up soon. Use the Epcot exit for Port Orleans Riverside.

Returning to airport via I-4 east to 528 east, get off 528 at its exit 9 (Tradeport).
Left (north), cross under, *, get into middle lane. Required right (east) onto McCoy.
Next light is 436 (Semoran). Turn right to enter airport.

* Nice cheap gas station right there.

 

[nhmommy]

Hijacking sorry! does anyone know if I can use the EZ pass we have in NH on the tolls in FL?

 

[HelenParr]

Your NH EZPass will not work in Florida. Sorry!

They have talked about allowing reciprocal use in the future, but no results yet.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Hijacking sorry! does anyone know if I can use the EZ pass we have in NH on the tolls in FL?

No.

 

[rbrainerd]

Guess you could call me really cheap, for I go a route where there are no tolls. I just take the south exit out of the airport and follow Boggy Creek Road to 192. Granted we have a place near Celebration so this way is not too much longer for us. There is a right turn near a gas station (something with a "K" in it) and another on to 192 (which is actually a merge like turn). If you follow Boggy Creek signs and Kissimmee signs it's pretty easy to follow. If you take 192, there are many tourist places and also it leads to signs which will take you to any Disney area. Use can also turn right on 535 and signs lead you to Disney. I have yet to drive on 535 and not see an accident it seems. Very busy "Disney" road it seems. This way may not be as fast, but no tolls and lots of sights along the way.

 

[MillauFr]

But that payment to the rental agency is per day, right?

I bought my own Sunpass for $4.99. I think it was $5.39 with the tax included. You are correct that using the rental car's pass is completely crazy as they charge something like $5 - $10 per day of using it. Complete ripoff when you can buy your own pass for $5.

 

[Chief Powhatan]

OT, but when I first read this, I thought it said transgender instead of transponder

 

[Sandi]

OT, but when I first read this, I thought it said transgender instead of transponder

That would probably be more expensive.

To the OP, we rented from Alamo in July. The fee was $3.95 per day for any day that you had a toll. I rented from the Swan and then returned it to MCO. We had only one day we needed to pay tolls (the trip to the airport) and it worked as promised. I was happy to not be delayed in the cash pay lanes -- which looked pretty long -- at it was a convenience fee that I felt was reasonable. Our other drives were on toll free roads to visit relatives and just around WDW.

 

[Cpdiswinter]

Guess you could call me really cheap, for I go a route where there are no tolls. I just take the south exit out of the airport and follow Boggy Creek Road to 192. Granted we have a place near Celebration so this way is not too much longer for us. There is a right turn near a gas station (something with a "K" in it) and another on to 192 (which is actually a merge like turn). If you follow Boggy Creek signs and Kissimmee signs it's pretty easy to follow. If you take 192, there are many tourist places and also it leads to signs which will take you to any Disney area. Use can also turn right on 535 and signs lead you to Disney. I have yet to drive on 535 and not see an accident it seems. Very busy "Disney" road it seems. This way may not be as fast, but no tolls and lots of sights along the way.

I actually prefer back roads to highways. Is there a ton of traffic? This would be a Saturday around 2 ish. We are renting from Dollar and their Sunpass option is ridiculously expensive for what we are using it for... I don't want to pay it.