Change for tolls

[sam_rogers]

I was just wondering if anyone has any good ideas about where to get change for tolls once you land in Orlando. We've probably only got about $1 in quarters lying around since our last trip to the States which won't get us very far! We were caught out by the unmanned tolls on our first trip (luckily a taxi was next car following behind us!) so just wondering how everyone else funds the drive

 

[wilma-bride]

If you use the 528 from the airport to the I4 all the tolls are manned so can give change.

Personally, I have a purse that I keep loose change in, that we use for tolls. But, as I said, the tolls on the 528 are all manned so no issues there.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I keep quarters from our previous trip so I have a few. I suppose you could buy something at the airport when you land and ask for some quarters in your change.

 

[chmurf]

getting change from the first toll is a good idea. But be advised that they won't take anything larger than a $20 bill

the first toll on 528 (north exit on the airport loop) is manned
i think the first one on 417 (south exit on the airport loop) is also manned, but I can't be 100% positive since they have redone that interchange recently

You could also get change at the airport by buying a cheap thing from a store (getting a magic band at the disney shop if you're staying offsite is an option) but it's rather exepensive in the grand scheme of things, because there is a tax surcharge of 10% on any transaction at the airport

a $20 at the first toll is the best option



then you can also consider your car hire tollpass policy
if you're renting from alamo, you can use the sunpass lanes, you'll be charged $3.95 per 24hrs periods where you actually use a toll + the value of the toll
it's a bit more expensive, but you don't have to slow down, or worry about cash
I wouldn't advise it for other rental companies (avis would cost $19.75 for the duration of your rental, if you hit one toll + the toll values, and dollar would hit you with $50 a week ... so stay clear of them)
check your rental company's policies re:tolls

 

[k8Davies]

I always just use the sunpass on my car but I do always rent from Alamo As the most I would ever pay for a trip is $19.75

• Fees rental car customers pay to cover unpaid tolls:
• ▪ Alamo, Enterprise, National: $3.95 per day, $19.75 maximum.
• ▪ Avis, Budget: $3.95 per day, $16.95 maximum.
• ▪ Dollar, Thrifty: $15 per toll, $105 maximum.
• ▪ Hertz: $4.95 per day, $24.75 maximum.

So I might pay slight more than if I paid for the tolls separately, but to not have the stress and worry about the change I think it $19.75 (around £14) is money well spent

 

[sam_rogers]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'll have another look at driving routes and the sun pass as we will be doing a bit more driving around Orlando this year so that might be an economical option for us this time. I'd forgotten about the manned toll being the first one too so definitely a good option for getting a pocket full of change!

 

[chmurf]

• ▪ Avis, Budget: $3.95 per day, $16.95 maximum.

it's $19.95 maximum, but unlike alamo, if you hit 1 toll, Avis charges you the $19.95 (granted you have 6 days or more)
Alamo only charges for the days you use the toll service

so let's say you only use the tolls to and from MCO (2 days) Alamo will charge you $7.9 but Avis will charge you $19.95

• ▪ Dollar, Thrifty: $15 per toll, $105 maximum.

this is not correct

with dollar, if you opt in for their scheme, they charge you $50+ per week (includes all the tolls you can go through)
if you don't opt in and hit a toll, they charge $10 per toll up to $90

it's all here https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

 

[disneyholic family]

i got stuck with an unmanned toll booth on our very last day.....
surprised me completely...
i dropped everyone off at the airport and then i went to go around to get back to the alamo drop off and somehow took a wrong turn..
i'm always making mistakes at that airport...no matter how many times i'm there..
anyway, i ended up back on 528, so i had to exit to make a huge u-turn..
the exit i used had an unmanned toll both....for which i had no change..
so i drove on through...what could i do?
and then of course, getting back onto 528, i hit another unmanned toll booth....and had to drive through again...
i assume that i was charged by alamo, but i never saw evidence of it...
i only saw the big charge for the 4 week rental....nothing afterwards hit my card, so i don't know...perhaps it fell through the cracks...
anyway...later i read that the way alamo charges is really not bad at all, so i wasn't nearly as upset as i had been..
but it was a shock since i hadn't expected it...
anyway, i did make it back to the alamo drop off and back to the airport..
fortunately, we had hours before our flight, so i wasn't worried about not getting back in time..
but it was a surprising experience!!!