Miami Airport ???

[cliveywolves]

Hi Guys..

Looks like we are going to be flying into Miami Airport this year.. Simply down to not booking flights early enough and the cost of flying into Orlando in August.. Dont mind driving myself DW not so sure about it..

Wont be to bad on the drive back to Miami as we are hitting Tampa, Clearwater and St Petes for a few nights at the end of our holiday this year..

Anybody done the drive up to DW from Miami, I gather it takes about 3 1/2 hours.. is it ok?? many tolls to pay ??

Cheers

 

[wilma-bride]

We are flying in to Miami this year and have done so once before.

As I understand it, the system has changed since we last did it in 2007 and, now, if you are going to use the Florida Turnpike (by far the fastest and most straightforward route), all tolls are cashless and, therefore, you will need to arrange a Sunpass with your rental car provider. This can be costly as most charge a fee per day which, if you are only using the Turnpike to Orlando and back, seems a bit of a waste.

There are certain rental car companies who do not charge a per day fee, however they charge for tolls used and an admin amount.

The alternative could be to avoid the Turnpike and use the Highway 27, which will be a longer/slower journey but will avoid the issue of the Sunpass.

Via the Turnpike, though, you need to allow at least 3 1/2 hours for the journey from MIA to Orlando plus time to get thorough immigration and collect your car. When we last flew into Miami, our flight landed at around 2.15 and we made it to Orlando by around 8pm. However, we hired a car through Budget and they were incredibly slow

 

[Bridgey]

Not a problem at all mate, we've done the trip a few times as we like to go down to Miami for the weekend whenever we've gone over to Orlando. The Florida turnpike is probably the easiest way and the toll isnt too bad, cant remember the exact amount to be honest. Another way which is toll free would be to find your way to US27 which is quite easy and which will take you straight to I4 and then on to wdw. Whichever way you go the drive is a bit boring though.

 

[ford family]

We regularily drive from Miami up to the Tampa area and back.
For your return leg, down I275, I75 and across Alligator Alley the only tolls are $1 at the Sunshine Skyway and $2.50 as you join AA. That last one can be avoided by using SR90 but it is appreciably slower.
To get from I75 to MIA we come off onto US27 southbound which goes past the airport and is toll free.
Since September they have stopped running the buses from MIA to the car rental centre and you now take a small automatic train.

ford family

 

[cliveywolves]

Thanks guys..... Any idea what the toll costs would be from Miami to WDW... So you reckon about 3 1/2 hours drive time ???

 

[cliveywolves]

Sorry guys..

Anybody got a rough idea how much tolls would be from Miami Airport to DW ??

Just trying to work out wether it is worth the saving on the flight costs this year for us,
Flights work out £220 cheaper to Miami instead of Tampa.. but with Tolls and Fuel is it really worth the saving in end... ?

 

[Bridgey]

Not 100% sure but think its about $20-$25 from Miami to Orlando on the turnpike.

 

[disneyholic family]

Sorry guys..

Anybody got a rough idea how much tolls would be from Miami Airport to DW ??

Just trying to work out wether it is worth the saving on the flight costs this year for us,
Flights work out £220 cheaper to Miami instead of Tampa.. but with Tolls and Fuel is it really worth the saving in end... ?

£220 per person or total?
i wouldn't think it's worth it, if the difference is only 220.

 

[cliveywolves]

£220 per person or total?
i wouldn't think it's worth it, if the difference is only 220.

..

Thats what im thinking now it is £220 but.. The extra driving time.. Fuel & Toll costs.. what am I really going to be saving... !

 

[girli565]

Sorry guys..

Anybody got a rough idea how much tolls would be from Miami Airport to DW ??

Just trying to work out wether it is worth the saving on the flight costs this year for us,
Flights work out £220 cheaper to Miami instead of Tampa.. but with Tolls and Fuel is it really worth the saving in end... ?

Miami to Orlando on the turnpike if paying cash is around $18-$20 but there is one problem... The turnpike in Miami is cashless now, they only take sunpass or bill to your license plate. I don't know how a rental car company would handle that.

If you purchase a sunpass at Publix, there's a small one for $4.99 and when you open your account they will credit you the $4.99 on your account. You have to stick it to your window but it comes off pretty easily. It would save you time because you go through the sunpass lanes and money because the tolls are discounted for sunpass users. usually $0.25 less than paying cash.

here's the sunpass site and it shows you where you can get the sticker sunpass https://www.sunpass.com/sunPassRetailers

 

[cliveywolves]

Miami to Orlando on the turnpike if paying cash is around $18-$20 but there is one problem... The turnpike in Miami is cashless now, they only take sunpass or bill to your license plate. I don't know how a rental car company would handle that.

If you purchase a sunpass at Publix, there's a small one for $4.99 and when you open your account they will credit you the $4.99 on your account. You have to stick it to your window but it comes off pretty easily. It would save you time because you go through the sunpass lanes and money because the tolls are discounted for sunpass users. usually $0.25 less than paying cash.

here's the sunpass site and it shows you where you can get the sticker sunpass https://www.sunpass.com/sunPassRetailers

Wicked..Thanks for the advice....

Sunpass with rental car companys can be hard they charge you for the whole hire period of the car when im only going to need it for 2 days !!

So i would need to stop off at a Publix or a retailer that sells the sunpass before I get on the Turnpike in Miami ???

 

[girli565]

Yes, I even think I remember seeing a place at MIA selling the sticker sunpass so you could even get it before you get your rental.

 

[UKDEB]

The SunPass mini-sticker isn't a reliable option for rental cars. Once purchased, it needs to be activated by calling a toll-free number. You need both the number from the sticker and the licence plate of the car it's to used with. Once activated it isn't functional for 2-3 hours for some lanes and not until 6am the following morning for others.

All the rental companies have options for paying electronic tolls (either SunPass transponders or licence plate recognition). Dollar and its sister company Thrifty require you to opt in for the entire rental period, but the others don't and their charges are surprisingly reasonable.

The Turnpike is cashless in Miami-Dade County only, so the only stretch affecting the journey to Orlando is the short section out of Miami north to Miramar. When we last did the drive (in March last year), we took the I-95 that far and then hopped across to the Turnpike, although you could also take it as far north as Jupiter before making the jump. A significant stretch of the Turnpike is operated on a ticket system, meaning that you don't have to keep stopping to pay. You take your ticket at the entry point and pay when you leave the ticketed section. For the first option the total tolls will be in the region of $16, for the second, around $11.

As you head out of Miami on the I-95, you need to be aware that the outside 2 lanes are electronic toll lanes and if you stray into them, you will be charged via your rental company - an expensive mistake if you're with Dollar or Thrifty. (The charges operate on a sliding scale depending on traffic conditions and are displayed on electronic signs.) We didn't have any trouble avoiding them as they're clearly marked and separated from the regular lanes.

 

[cliveywolves]

The SunPass mini-sticker isn't a reliable option for rental cars. Once purchased, it needs to be activated by calling a toll-free number. You need both the number from the sticker and the licence plate of the car it's to used with. Once activated it isn't functional for 2-3 hours for some lanes and not until 6am the following morning for others.

All the rental companies have options for paying electronic tolls (either SunPass transponders or licence plate recognition). Dollar and its sister company Thrifty require you to opt in for the entire rental period, but the others don't and their charges are surprisingly reasonable.

The Turnpike is cashless in Miami-Dade County only, so the only stretch affecting the journey to Orlando is the short section out of Miami north to Miramar. When we last did the drive (in March last year), we took the I-95 that far and then hopped across to the Turnpike, although you could also take it as far north as Jupiter before making the jump. A significant stretch of the Turnpike is operated on a ticket system, meaning that you don't have to keep stopping to pay. You take your ticket at the entry point and pay when you leave the ticketed section. For the first option the total tolls will be in the region of $16, for the second, around $11.

As you head out of Miami on the I-95, you need to be aware that the outside 2 lanes are electronic toll lanes and if you stray into them, you will be charged via your rental company - an expensive mistake if you're with Dollar or Thrifty. (The charges operate on a sliding scale depending on traffic conditions and are displayed on electronic signs.) We didn't have any trouble avoiding them as they're clearly marked and separated from the regular lanes.

Thanks again for your help..

So you think ill be ok just make sure I dont book with Dollar or Thrifty then ??
Do i need to tell the rental company before i book with them or not ?

Ill have a look on maps later at your routes.. How long drive about 3 1/2 hours?

 

[UKDEB]

So you think ill be ok just make sure I dont book with Dollar or Thrifty then ??

Hertz uses its own PlatePass (vehicle registration plate recognition). The charge is $2.95 per day, up to a maximum of $14.95 a month. So:

1 day rental is $2.95 plus tolls
2 day rental is $5.90 plus tolls
3 day rental is $8.85 plus tolls
4 day rental is $11.80 plus tolls
5-30 day rental is $14.75 plus tolls

An average Brit holidaying in Florida, then, will pay $14.95 plus tolls.

Avis and Budget are virtually identical - $2.95 per day, maximum $14.75 per month.

National and Alamo offer the best deal - $2 per day that you actually use the toll lanes to a maximum of $6 per rental period. So if you use the toll lanes for a day of your holiday, you'll pay $2 plus tolls, 2 days $4, 3 days + $6.

There are other rental companies, but none that are likely to be used by UK renters.

Do i need to tell the rental company before i book with them or not ?

Dollar/Thrifty:

You must either opt-in or decline at time of reservation or at the rental counter. All daily charges will be included on your receipt when you return the car. No billing is done after the fact unless you fail to select the tolling option and still use the toll lanes. If you fail to enrol at time of reservation or at the rental counter, and incur toll charges by using a dedicated or express lane, a $25.00 administrative fee + toll will be charged for each infraction. These fees and tolls are charged separately after the completion of the rental.

Hertz, National, Alamo:

No need to declare anything at time of reservation or rental. Opt-in decision is made if you elect to use a toll lane.

Avis, Budget:

You'll be automatically opted in.

Ill have a look on maps later at your routes.. How long drive about 3 1/2 hours?

Yes, I'd say so. We've done it 3 times now. Last March, from leaving the Car Rental Center to pulling up on our friends' drive in Orlando, it took us 3 hours 20 minutes, but we were disembarking a cruise early on a Saturday morning and, thus, the traffic was light. Getting out of Miami is the most trying part of the journey and during rush-hour you might get held up. Even so, as long as the traffic doesn't grind to a complete halt, you should do it in 3.5 - 4 hours.

ETA: I'm not sure I'd bother for a saving of £200 on flights, particularly when that's probably going to be reduced to around £150 once you've factored in fuel and toll charges. You say that it won't be so bad on the way back, but the drive from the Tampa/Clearwater/St Pete's area is actually longer than the one between Miami and Orlando and almost 200 miles further than driving back to Orlando at the end of your trip. You'd be looking at adding 400 miles to your driving tally by flying in and out of Miami. It's a long drive after a day of transatlantic travel and all that entails, and at the end of your holiday you have to devote your entire last day to travelling.

 

[cliveywolves]

Thanks again Debbie..

Ok ill make sure I book with the right car rental company so I dont get wacked with the toll fees... cheers for that...

The reason I said not not to bothered with Journey back to Miami from Orlando as we are coming back 4 days before we fly back to UK and staying in Clearwater for 3 nights to explore that area and do some new things. So we are breaking the Journey up..

Thanks again...

 

[ford family]

Thanks again Debbie..

Ok ill make sure I book with the right car rental company so I dont get wacked with the toll fees... cheers for that...

The reason I said not not to bothered with Journey back to Miami from Orlando as we are coming back 4 days before we fly back to UK and staying in Clearwater for 3 nights to explore that area and do some new things. So we are breaking the Journey up..

Thanks again...

Not to belabour the point but whilst Miami to Orlando is about 230 miles, Clearwater to Miami is about 280 miles so "breaking the journey up" is not what you are doing.

ford family

 

[cliveywolves]

Not to belabour the point but whilst Miami to Orlando is about 230 miles, Clearwater to Miami is about 280 miles so "breaking the journey up" is not what you are doing.

ford family

yeah.. I realised that the other day.. sometimes I forget how big Florida !!!

 

[socialgal]

The tolls from MIA to Disney are:
With Sunpass - $14.60
Cash - $19.15
Miami-Dade County is the only county that has cashless tolls. They charge, if you don't have sunpass, by plate. So if your car is rented, the sunpass will charge the rental company and the company will adjust the difference to your credit card.
It is probably cheaper to go without sunpass than a charge of $2 a day.

 

[wilma-bride]

The tolls from MIA to Disney are:
With Sunpass - $14.60
Cash - $19.15
Miami-Dade County is the only county that has cashless tolls. They charge, if you don't have sunpass, by plate. So if your car is rented, the sunpass will charge the rental company and the company will adjust the difference to your credit card.
It is probably cheaper to go without sunpass than a charge of $2 a day.

Except for the fact that they charge a hefty admin fee also - for each time it happens. Now I'm not sure exatly how many toll booths there are in Miami-Dade but as the admin charge could be up to $25, even if there is only 1 it probably isn't cheaper.