Toll fee changes on way to WDW and Orlando.

[tiggerdad]

Thought this might be good information to put here on camping forum. Courtesy of @SouthAlabama5er .

https://www.kennythepirate.com/2019/10/12/toll-rates-will-double-for-pay-by-plate-drivers/

 

[bama_ed]

Yet another reason to use a SunPass so you can just keep driving through the toll area at speed.

Sometimes I come into (and leave) Disney via I75, Turnpike, and SR429 (which is affected by this announcement). This puts you over by Coronado Springs on property.

Thank you SouthAlabama5er/Randy wherever you are.

Bama Ed

 

[team bradfield]

I purchased a Sun Pass online, they mailed it to me. time & money saver

 

[tiggerdad]

Yep, I've used Sunpass for last 4 years. Much easier.

 

[Jorjabelle]

Yep, we got our E Pass Xtra so we can drive up to NH and down to FL on the transponder. Glad we did seeing the increase in plate rates.

 

[amcc]

We have Sunpass in our cars for daily driving but we always forget to go in and update it for our trips to 3 axles and we end up getting a bill in the mail. Have to add that to our pre-trip to do list.

 

[ChiefM]

I bought a Sunpass at the Florida Welcome Center in March while on our last trip down to Disney, Awesome time and money saver. The best part is you can move the transponder from one vehicle to another. Georgia Peach Pass won't let you do that.
I already added a little more money and switched it to the motorhome and trailer for our trip down on Saturday.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Thank you SouthAlabama5er/Randy wherever you are.

No problem, I'm home for a day or so. I was running the turnpike every week from Wildwood to Miami, I will add it up and share it. I believe it's over $150 round trip, the SunPass helps save a little time and money.

 

[rajak73]

We got the sunpass mini, very easy, first one we cancelled after we got home, this one, just keeping some money loaded on it and will use it again in Oct, 2020.

 

[JETS70]

The Sunpass is just more convenient. We have it set to reload when it gets below $10.00. What I like most about it after not having it on earlier trips to the Fort is the ability to, as Ed said, roll through the toll booths at speed. It was a real booger stopping to pay tolls and then trying to get back up to speed pulling the camper and merging back into the flow of traffic.

Steve

 

[KornBred]

We lived about 90 miles north of Tallahassee in SW GA right off of US 27 so I always took that route as I got tired of driving on I75 and my way was less miles. Now we live about 15 miles east of the old house and it is a lot quicker to hit I75 in Tifton and then hit the toll roads to Western Way. When I mad the decision to use this as our main route I stopped at a FL rest area and got a SunPass from a vending machine. Best decision I could have made, especially with this news. Definitely worth the cost.

 

[Stratman50th]

Before we moved to Florida we bought one and used it every year for several years. It saved a lot in time, money and most important aggravation around Orlando! I bought the one with suction cups so I could swap it from my car to the coach and back. It automatically counts axles so it gets the primary and towed vehicle. I also have it set to recharge when it hits $10.00.
Just well worth the price!

 

[loves to dive]

We have the Georgia fast lane pass (or whatever the heck that thing is called) and we were able to use it in Florida. Made honey very happy to be able to just drive on by those toll booths. I think the total cost for both ways was something silly low like $8 or $9.

 

[bama_ed]

Get a SunPass. Avoid the hassle.

I went to the Florida Keys a few years ago (which the Turnpike extends past Miami to) and the choices in lower FL are SunPass or Pay-by-Plate.

IMO if you EVER think about going south below Orlando, get a SunPass. I have the mini (which can't be physically moved to a new vehicle but the account/money can be).

SP is the way to go in whatever form.

Bama Ed

 

[michelb]

Yep, we got our E Pass Xtra so we can drive up to NH and down to FL on the transponder. Glad we did seeing the increase in plate rates.

We've had a SunPass for years but this year got a EPass Xtra. I mostly just use it in Florida but it's convenient to have the option to use it in other states (I believe we used it in NY in the Spring as well). Also it's nice that it's removable (we had the sticker before) as we use it in our MH and in the towed car and kept having to deal with double-charges because we had the sticker in both vehicles (just a warning if you remove the sticker, you can just leave it in your glove box. Last trip we did that and while it didn't get picked up at most tolls we did get a few charges on the sticker that was in the glove box (which surprised me; I didn't think it would work from there - although I guess it's not that far from the windshield)).

 

[Lehuaann]

We've had a SunPass for years but this year got a EPass Xtra. I mostly just use it in Florida but it's convenient to have the option to use it in other states (I believe we used it in NY in the Spring as well). Also it's nice that it's removable (we had the sticker before) as we use it in our MH and in the towed car and kept having to deal with double-charges because we had the sticker in both vehicles (just a warning if you remove the sticker, you can just leave it in your glove box. Last trip we did that and while it didn't get picked up at most tolls we did get a few charges on the sticker that was in the glove box (which surprised me; I didn't think it would work from there - although I guess it's not that far from the windshield)).

Thanks for the info. The only thing I don’t like about it is the battery.

The old version of Sunpass required a battery since they used to beep thru the toll. I liked the beep, but not the required replacement. The newer ones do not beep, however, they save money by not needing to replace.

 

[michelb]

Thanks for the info. The only thing I don’t like about it is the battery.

The old version of Sunpass required a battery since they used to beep thru the toll. I liked the beep, but not the required replacement. The newer ones do not beep, however, they save money by not needing to replace.

That's a good point. The E-Pass Xtra has a 'non-replaceable' battery. They say it's good for up to 8 years so it's not something to worry about for a while but I don't think there's an indicator on it so you probably have to look at the screen to make sure it scans okay. We've registered our plate with our account so I don't believe it's really an issue (if the system doesn't detect the transponder, it will match the plate to our account and charge it to the transponder anyway) but it would be nice to have better way to confirm that the toll was registered (I never had one of the beeping ones but I would like to have the beep - I basically just l hope for the best whenever I cross but I'm always paranoid it's not working!)

 

[Stratman50th]

That's a good point. The E-Pass Xtra has a 'non-replaceable' battery. They say it's good for up to 8 years so it's not something to worry about for a while but I don't think there's an indicator on it so you probably have to look at the screen to make sure it scans okay. We've registered our plate with our account so I don't believe it's really an issue (if the system doesn't detect the transponder, it will match the plate to our account and charge it to the transponder anyway) but it would be nice to have better way to confirm that the toll was registered (I never had one of the beeping ones but I would like to have the beep - I basically just l hope for the best whenever I cross but I'm always paranoid it's not working!)

I bought mine apparently after the battery units (Sunpass). I alway drift until I see the "Go Sunpass" on the screen. At least when going through the stations. Never thought about the overhead high speed readers. I actually wouldn't mind some kind of indicator to tell me it read. It's not really necessary but it helps my OCD. LOL