MCO to WDW tolls

[jstaff]

Hi!
We will be coming down to WDW in mid September and using a rental car with Dollar. I know there are tolls but we haven't worried about them, because we had been using Mears and Magical Express on previous trips. Are there still cash lanes that we can use or is it all drive through plate readers? I have EZPass and SunPass on our personal vehicles. I want to try to avoid the charge from the rental company if I can. For those who use rental cars, what have you done?

 

[GBRforWDW]

Yes they do have tolls booths to pay cash. Also, you can use the Visitor Toll Pass. It may not be beneficial for everyone as the pickup location is only in Terminal A on the lowest level, so not convenient if you’re in Terminal B or C, but not impossible either. Download the VTP app and see if it’d work for you. I don’t think there are fees like what you’d have with the rental car companies.

 

[dioxide45]

What type of EZ Pass and Sunpass transponder do you have in your personal vehicles? If they are portable, you should be able to bring one of them. Just make sure Dollar works off PlatePass vs a physciaol transponder. If it is a transponder, you would have to deactivate it to ensure you are only charged to your personal toll account.

 

[EACarlson]

I use Visitor Toll Pass, currently only available in Terminal A, but allegedly coming to B and C "soon." I believe I saw one timeline that had end of summer listed. It gives reduced tolls everywhere in FL compared to cash. I brought my IL IPass once, forgot it in the rental car and it cost me $22 have the rental company ship it back to me.

 

[jstaff]

Yes they do have tolls booths to pay cash. Also, you can use the Visitor Toll Pass. It may not be beneficial for everyone as the pickup location is only in Terminal A on the lowest level, so not convenient if you’re in Terminal B or C, but not impossible either. Download the VTP app and see if it’d work for you. I don’t think there are fees like what you’d have with the rental car companies.

Ok I will look into that and see if that's a better option for us.

 

[jstaff]

What type of EZ Pass and Sunpass transponder do you have in your personal vehicles? If they are portable, you should be able to bring one of them. Just make sure Dollar works off PlatePass vs a physciaol transponder. If it is a transponder, you would have to deactivate it to ensure you are only charged to your personal toll account.

I didn't know there were different kinds of transponders. I have seen signs about EZPass being accepted on some tolls in FL but not all so we got a SunPass a few years ago just in case. Would Dollar ask us about PlatePass when we go the counter to opt in or out or am I supposed to myself somehow? And would they deactivate the transponder or can we do it ourselves?

 

[dioxide45]

I didn't know there were different kinds of transponders. I have seen signs about EZPass being accepted on some tolls in FL but not all so we got a SunPass a few years ago just in case. Would Dollar ask us about PlatePass when we go the counter to opt in or out or am I supposed to myself somehow? And would they deactivate the transponder or can we do it ourselves?

Every rental agency is different. If they have PlatePass, then you are good to go with your transponder as your transponder will override PlatePass. Just make sure you add the car and plate to your SunPass account within 24 (or is it 48) hours. As long as you do that, when you go through a toll they will see your SunPass account first before trying to use the plate to bill for toll charges. If the car has a transponder, you will need to ask how to disable it. Sometimes it can be mechanically disabled in the car with a switch.

 

[EACarlson]

I didn't know there were different kinds of transponders. I have seen signs about EZPass being accepted on some tolls in FL but not all so we got a SunPass a few years ago just in case. Would Dollar ask us about PlatePass when we go the counter to opt in or out or am I supposed to myself somehow? And would they deactivate the transponder or can we do it ourselves?

All EZPass compatible transponders are accepted on all toll roads in FL since Memorial Day 2021. Dollar will try to get you to opt in to their toll scam. If they use PlatePass it is the last resort for the toll authority. First they go by local transponder, then compatible transponder, then plate number through local tolling, plate number through compatible agencies and finally PlatePass. That's why it's important to put the plate number in the app. If Dollar uses a transponder, every one I've ever seen is a box mounted to the windshield that had to either be opened or a switch flipped for it to work.

 

[jstaff]

Every rental agency is different. If they have PlatePass, then you are good to go with your transponder as your transponder will override PlatePass. Just make sure you add the car and plate to your SunPass account within 24 (or is it 48) hours. As long as you do that, when you go through a toll they will see your SunPass account first before trying to use the plate to bill for toll charges. If the car has a transponder, you will need to ask how to disable it. Sometimes it can be mechanically disabled in the car with a switch.

Thank you. I will look more into this and see what the rental company has.

 

[jstaff]

All EZPass compatible transponders are accepted on all toll roads in FL since Memorial Day 2021. Dollar will try to get you to opt in to their toll scam. If they use PlatePass it is the last resort for the toll authority. First they go by local transponder, then compatible transponder, then plate number through local tolling, plate number through compatible agencies and finally PlatePass. That's why it's important to put the plate number in the app. If Dollar uses a transponder, every one I've ever seen is a box mounted to the windshield that had to either be opened or a switch flipped for it to work.

Good information to know thank you. When you say it's important to have the plate number in the app you mean for SunPass correct?

If nothing works we will probably just keep it simple and use the cash lanes.

 

[EACarlson]

Good information to know thank you. When you say it's important to have the plate number in the app you mean for SunPass correct?

If nothing works we will probably just keep it simple and use the cash lanes.

For whatever option you choose to do outside of the rental company. Whether that be your own EZ-Pass, SunPass, IPass, VTP or anything else. Personally, I'm going in October and booked Visitor Toll Pass this morning.

 

[jstaff]

For whatever option you choose to do outside of the rental company. Whether that be your own EZ-Pass, SunPass, IPass, VTP or anything else. Personally, I'm going in October and booked Visitor Toll Pass this morning.

Will do! Thank you!

 

[peacefrogdog]

I've read nightmare stories on this board re: car rental companies adding on extra fees even though drivers pay cash at the tolls. I realize Visitor Toll pass is easy, but I've kept rolls of quarters available to be able to pay cash on the tolls (we are only going to and from the airport) , but I live in Canada so I may as well use up all these US quarters!

I've booked a car rental through Avis, and hoping to bypass the counter and go straight to the garage (I have a Avis Preferred membership). Is there anything I need to set up with Avis beforehand to avoid being charged extra "convenience" or "toll" fees when I'm planning on driving through the cash lanes at the toll stations?

 

[GoingSince1990]

I signed up for a SunPass years ago and bring the transponder on trips to FL to use in rental cars. Pay-by-plate with the rental car works if I forget to bring the transponder but I hate paying the service charge that then gets tacked on. To ensure you don’t forget the transponder at the end of the rental, keep a ziplock bag labeled SUNPASS in the console, which will remind you to remove the transponder when you are cleaning out the car when you return it.

 

[EACarlson]

I've booked a car rental through Avis, and hoping to bypass the counter and go straight to the garage (I have a Avis Preferred membership). Is there anything I need to set up with Avis beforehand to avoid being charged extra "convenience" or "toll" fees when I'm planning on driving through the cash lanes at the toll stations?

In your Preferred profile on the Avis website is a section where you set your preferences, one of those preferences is toll program. Selecting no there ensures you are not enrolled in their optional program. Nothing is going to stop you from being charged if the toll makes it through to be associated with the plate. Even if you paid cash, if Avis gets hit with a toll you will be charged for it by them. Save your receipts.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Hmm... toll option doesn't appear in my preferences. All that is listed are cover roadside issues, Fuel plans, Satellite radio, and GPS.
Leaning towards getting the Visitor Toll Pass though.

 

[EACarlson]

Hmm... toll option doesn't appear in my preferences. All that is listed are cover roadside issues, Fuel plans, Satellite radio, and GPS.
Leaning towards getting the Visitor Toll Pass though.

Just for you I looked further into this. Avis has an opt-in all inclusive package, otherwise it only charges you once you incur tolls. There was supposed to be an option when you placed the reservation, if you didn't sign up for the program then, you are not in it.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Thanks for this