Tolls??

[MIChessGuy]

The FAQ section at the Florida Sunpass website states the following:

2. How much does it cost to use the SunPass system?
A: The SunPass Portable transponder costs $19.99 plus tax and the SunPass Mini Sticker transponder costs $4.99 plus tax (all out of state customers are required to pay a flat 6% sales tax). Transponders are available online at SunPass.com and at all authorized SunPass retailers. Both units allow motorists to have tolls electronically deducted from a prepaid account. Both require a minimum opening balance of $10 for a personal account. Commercial accounts have a different opening balance. Please contact the SunPass Customer Service Center to inquire about a commercial account and determine the opening balance required.


I took this to mean that you have to pay the $4.99 cost plus the minimum $10 opening balance before the mini-sticker thing will work. Is the personal account not necessary? To me the $4.99 sounded separate and distinct from the actual credit you have for toll-paying purposes. I'd prefer to just have $4.99 in total credit, since that's not much more than an airport roundtrip, but it doesn't appear to work that way.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Just to follow up, I decided to purchase the full-size Sunpass transponder for use on future trips no matter which car I might be using. It will be a rental car next month. The Sunpass website says that they 'strongly recommend' adding the rental car to my Sunpass account, so I guess I'll be sitting there in the airport garage trying to get that done before getting onto the Beachline. I'm guessing that the mobile website is probably the best option for that; not sure if anybody's available at the toll-free line on my weekend arrival date.

Even if it takes a while before the Orlando toll roads get rid of cash booths, this will be helpful coming down from Michigan on future trips since I use part of the Turnpike and the Western Beltway en route to the World. Just need to make sure they don't lag me out and take my balance away for inactivity.

 

[MillauFr]

Just to follow up, I decided to purchase the full-size Sunpass transponder for use on future trips no matter which car I might be using. It will be a rental car next month. The Sunpass website says that they 'strongly recommend' adding the rental car to my Sunpass account, so I guess I'll be sitting there in the airport garage trying to get that done before getting onto the Beachline. I'm guessing that the mobile website is probably the best option for that; not sure if anybody's available at the toll-free line on my weekend arrival date.

Even if it takes a while before the Orlando toll roads get rid of cash booths, this will be helpful coming down from Michigan on future trips since I use part of the Turnpike and the Western Beltway en route to the World. Just need to make sure they don't lag me out and take my balance away for inactivity.

Yes just go to their website and add the rental car. The website is pretty good and they even let you specify the time when you will be driving the rental car so it drops off your account after you return the car.

 

[disneygrandma]

Past few trips we drove our own car, so it didn't matter to us how the toll was collected. However, on this trip, we'll be renting a car. Driving from WDW to a beach area near Tampa. Then back to WDW, and then to Port Canaveral for our cruise, and then back again to WDW.

We're not technical people. And we don't want to have to pay extra to the rental car company because of tolls. What is the simplest way to handle the toll situation, without having to pay the rental car company what they charge?

 

[Elacklen]

Bumping this. We're traveling from TPA to DW via rental car, and I'm trying to figure out the same thing as disneygrandma.

 

[nacho113]

Bumping this. We're traveling from TPA to DW via rental car, and I'm trying to figure out the same thing as disneygrandma.

TPA to DW is via I-4 so there are no tolls to be paid and it's about a 90 minute drive if traffic is co-operating.
From my experience, it's not worth taking the rental car agencies toll pass option because they charge you a daily fee plus any tolls that you may accumulate. Easier (and cheaper) just to pay the tolls at the toll booths. However, if you are going down to the Miami area there are a lot of Cashless toll booths so you may have to consider the rental car companies toll options or just avoid toll roads when you get past Port Lucie.
As far as DisneyGrandma question, there are toll roads that can be taken to Port Canaveral (FL-528 - about an hour drive) but there are toll booths that you pull through and pay the tolls with cash (if you are worried about being double billed, you can ask for receipts at the toll booths).
Most of the Tampa area beaches are not on toll roads, but SOME of the entrance roads to some of the beach areas (like Treasure Island) have toll bridges which have toll booths to pay (this is only 1 or 2 and the toll is only $0.25-$0.50).
It is possible to avoid the toll roads all together with a little planning and as long as you are not in a hurry. Typically the toll roads will have the most direct route.
If you are using a GPS, you can try going into the settings/options menu and selecting the "avoid toll roads" option. Sometimes, however, the few dollars worth of tolls can more than make up for the extra driving time needed to circumvent the toll roads.
Our last trip to Cocoa Beach (same area as Port Canaveral) took us 1 hour 50 minutes using the side roads ("avoid toll road" option in GPS) We were in a hurry for our ADR on the way back so we jumped on the toll road. It cost us about $4 but took just under an hour to drive it. Use your own judgement on whether to use the toll roads or not, "are you takin' it easy because I'm on vacation" OR "I just want to get there and enjoy it sooner"

 

[disneygrandma]

We're fine paying the tolls & going the quickest, easiest route. Our concern would be the toll roads that have gone cashless. As long as the one between WDW & Port Canaveral continues to allow us to pay cash, then we'll be fine.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Elacklen]

Thank you Nacho! Good to know we won't need to worry about electronic tolls.

 

[billnye97]

Just to follow up, I decided to purchase the full-size Sunpass transponder for use on future trips no matter which car I might be using. It will be a rental car next month. The Sunpass website says that they 'strongly recommend' adding the rental car to my Sunpass account, so I guess I'll be sitting there in the airport garage trying to get that done before getting onto the Beachline. I'm guessing that the mobile website is probably the best option for that; not sure if anybody's available at the toll-free line on my weekend arrival date.

Even if it takes a while before the Orlando toll roads get rid of cash booths, this will be helpful coming down from Michigan on future trips since I use part of the Turnpike and the Western Beltway en route to the World. Just need to make sure they don't lag me out and take my balance away for inactivity.

This is what I did. It's easier to just have it and that way I don't have to wait in line for the cash lane and it equals about the rental cost of a sunpass with National. They don't charge you a monthly fee or anything so I think you should be good with keeping it even if used infrequently.

 

[cigar95]

This is what I did. It's easier to just have it and that way I don't have to wait in line for the cash lane and it equals about the rental cost of a sunpass with National. They don't charge you a monthly fee or anything so I think you should be good with keeping it even if used infrequently.

It also looks like the MiniPass, the $4.99 one, can't be removed and saved for a future trip - once removed from the windshield, it will no longer work. So after four trips, the more expensive unit costs the same as getting a mini-pass each time.