Tolls from MCO to WDW

[ww52]

We're renting a car when we land and today I just starting to think about tolls.

I live in Illinois, which uses the I-Pass system (which is also reciprocal with the EZ-Pass system). However, the state of Florida does not recognize either of them. So taking along my transponder is useless.

I'm renting through Avis - which provides a transponder. However, they charge $4 a day for every day of rental (whether you use the transponder or not - but a max of $20 a month); PLUS the CASH rate of each toll.

We'll have the car 7 days so that's the max $20. The question therefore is - how many tolls and what are their cash rates?

Overall - what are my options? Let's say I turn it off completely and come to an unmanned collection point? Will I get a ticket or will I have an option to pay online within so many days? (Illinois does that - but it's at the cash rate).

Like so many things - it seems like the rental car companies thought this out very well - it's simply easier to pay the convenience fee than try to find a way to avoid it. $20 is not a whole lot in the scheme of the total trip cost obviously.

 

[Chumpieboy]

All the toll routes between MCO and WDW have cash lanes. You'll want to use the lane that gives you a receipt in case charges crop up from the rental company.

Too late for this trip, but if you plan on going to WDW frequently, and renting a car each time, you can purchase a transponder to take with you (https://www.sunpass.com/en/home/index.shtml) You would need to log into your account after picking up your car and registering it to your account within a day or so of landing.

 

[ww52]

There are a couple routes from MCO to WDW, right? Which one are you referring to? 528 to I4 seems to be the recommended route, though 417 straight in is another option

Follow up question - what is the difference between the cash toll and that through the transponder? In Illinois, cash is 2x the transponder rate.

 

[msb578]

The rental transponders are highway robbery in my opinion.

We just bring a bag of quarters and use the exact change lanes. I believe there are only two toll stops between MCO and the Epcot/I-Drive exit. About $5 each way. We use the airport’s southern exit, to the GreeneWay (417).

 

[joelkfla]

If the Avis transponder can be turned off (many cannot), and you go thru a cash-free toll, the bill will go to Avis, not you. Avis will then likely charge you for the toll plus an exorbitant service fee.

If you are only driving between MCO & WDW, there are no cashless tolls on either route. There is one unmanned exact change toll booth at one of the WDW exits off 417; a dollar of quarters will get you thru that.

I think electronic tolls are around 2/3 of cash tolls, on average. It varies, because cash tolls are rounded up to the next 25 cents, while electronic tolls are not. Sometimes a toll increase won't affect the cash toll at all because it's less than the rounding amount; other times a few cents increase may bump up the cash toll to the next quarter multiple. In the overall cost of a WDW trip, the difference between cash & electronic tolls is too miniscule to worry about.

If you plan to do more driving on toll roads than just to & from WDW, and it's too late to order one on the website, you can purchase a Sunpass at the checkout counters of many local stores (including Publix & Walgreens) and activate by phone or web site. AFAIK, there is no place that sells them at the airport terminal.

 

[ww52]

Thanks much everyone. So from what I gather, either I use the transponder Avis provides (at a cost of $20 plus tolls) or turn it off and use the cash lanes. (One of which is unmanned and therefore requires carrying change.)

Saves no money on the tolls themselves. Saves the $20 convenience charge. But I have to carry a lot of quarters (needed for the unmanned stop - both ways) and also recognize the cash lane will slow me down somewhat. And I have to be VERY diligent - if I end up away from the cash lane even once, I probably blew through the $20 savings. (I'm VERY used to staying to the left and breezing through the electronic toll arches. I often don't quite realize when tolls are even coming up.)

In addition, if I forget to turn it off and/or if for some reason Avis charges me anyway, and I don't get a receipt (impossible I assume for the unmanned stop) I end up fighting with them or paying something likely greater than the $20. I'm sure more than a few people find themselves in that situation and wish they'd have just used the transponder.

Some people will say it's worth it all that to save $20. Others will say different. I'm leaning toward using it, at a cost of $20, and congratulating Avis on their business sense.

Given that I'm in analytics, I actually appreciate and admire the thought/analysis that probably went into Avis' decision as to what to charge for a convenience fee. If it was $50 I'd not use it. $35 - not sure. But at $20 it's almost cheap - and I'm (sort of) spending more than that (in the value of time) thinking it through and discussing it.

While someone opined that the transponders are highway robbery, I don't think so at the $20 it will cost in my situation. What is highway robbery to me is Disney raising the price of their character meals over 10% just because they know they can get it. One meal went from $45 to $50. With inflation still less than 3%. Multiply that $5 by the 7 people (excluding one under 3 yrs old) on this trip and the 3 such meals we chose - and the $20 falls into "loose change" category.

And Avis (and other rental car companies) know it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Like so many things - it seems like the rental car companies thought this out very well - it's simply easier to pay the convenience fee than try to find a way to avoid it.

Not in the case of the Orlando area. Super easy to just pay cash.

In Illinois, cash is 2x the transponder rate.

Wow. That’s not the case in the Orlando area.

And unless you’re doing more than one trip from and one trip to the airport, even if it were twice as much it would still be worth paying cash IMO.

There are a couple routes from MCO to WDW, right? Which one are you referring to? 528 to I4 seems to be the recommended route, though 417 straight in is another option

Both of those have cash lanes.

417 gets you closer to Disney. 528 gets you closer to Universal.

 

[bumbershoot]

And I have to be VERY diligent - if I end up away from the cash lane even once, I probably blew through the $20 savings.

It is so EASY to see the cash lanes it’s not even funny. They warn you for ages. Big huge signs to stay to the right, to get to the right, hey, move to the right and here’s how much you need and slow down and these lanes are manned. Easy.

 

[ww52]

Yeah, but should I stay to the right?

Just kidding. Yeah, it's coming back to me (it's been 7 years) and naturally we always paid cash out of necessity.

But I think they always had manned booths. I was worried that there'd be one or more without a cash option - like there are in Illinois lately - or that I'd forget to have my quarters handy for the unmanned ones. (And I can't seem to get a definitive answer as to how much each toll is - and if it varies by which route I take.)

Maybe I'll go for it. Thanks again for the information.

 

[bumbershoot]

https://www.cfxway.com/for-travelers/traveler-help-center/using-our-expressways/

This page has a picture of a toll area. Very very obvious.

And the signs leading up to it can’t be missed.

And this is fun info that could be helpful to answer a question you asked about the unmanned (though it’s answeing a question about if you go to a manned toll and only have bills over $20):

“...attendant will issue you an Insufficient Fund Notice, requiring you to submit payment in the form of a check or money order to the Central Florida Expressway Authority, P.O Box 585070, Orlando, FL 32858-5070. Please include the license plate number and state issued on the check”.

 

[bumbershoot]

Sorry for so many responses. We’re cross posting.

And I can't seem to get a definitive answer as to how much each toll is - and if it varies by which route I take.

The site is a pain because they seem to assume knowledge of the area. I mean, I’ve been there many times and still don’t know the name of the ramp from the airport. I do know that 417 is officially a north south road even though airport to Disney is east west. (Much like 4 is east west despite it being north south through Orlando lol)

I generally take a roll of quarters and ten or twenty ones and call it good. I’ve always had money left over. I tend to get change at the manned tolls just to make sure I have quarters for any unmanned I might come across.

 

[mcd2745]

There was a federal mandate to have all states' individual electronic tolling systems and transponders become inter-operable by Oct 2016. I guess it meant nothing since it didn't happen. It would be so much easier to be able to take our (EZPass / NY) transponder and use that.

 

[ww52]

There was a federal mandate to have all states' individual electronic tolling systems and transponders become inter-operable by Oct 2016. I guess it meant nothing since it didn't happen. It would be so much easier to be able to take our (EZPass / NY) transponder and use that.

Hmmm - if I were a cynical person, I'd say that the rental car companies want Florida to be an exception.

However, no need to be cynical - it's simply good business sense for them.

And since the cash tolls cost more than the electronic toll cost, the state makes out as well given the HUGE number of out of state drivers.

But why be surprised? Specific taxes are all arbitrary anyway - the government needs money and there are LOTS of ways to raise it. Sales tax in one state may be cheaper than in another, but then maybe other fees or taxes are higher.

 

[georgina]

In Illinois, cash is 2x the transponder rate.

Wow. That’s not the case in the Orlando area.

I have encountered many differences in my travels. I90 in Mass near Boston is similar - very big difference between EZ Pass and toll by plate (they are just overhead sensors, no toll booths). Google Maps recently sent us over the Henry Hudson bridge in NY - toll was $2.xx for EZ Passes issued in NY state and $6.00 for everyone else with EZPass! The differential here in PA keeps growing as they are really trying to push people away from cash.

I take my roll of quarters in my mini M&M container. Last trip I think there were 2 tolls of $1.50 each on the southern route. (always subject to change!)

 

[joelkfla]

There was a federal mandate to have all states' individual electronic tolling systems and transponders become inter-operable by Oct 2016. I guess it meant nothing since it didn't happen.

Yep. It was a law with no means of enforcement.

 

[writerguyfl]

While someone opined that the transponders are highway robbery, I don't think so at the $20 it will cost in my situation. What is highway robbery to me is Disney raising the price of their character meals over 10% just because they know they can get it. One meal went from $45 to $50. With inflation still less than 3%. Multiply that $5 by the 7 people (excluding one under 3 yrs old) on this trip and the 3 such meals we chose - and the $20 falls into "loose change" category.

And Avis (and other rental car companies) know it.

The highlighted text pretty much describes what Avis is doing. Other rental car companies like Alamo, only charge the convenience fee on day when tolls are assessed.

Of course, you're welcome to your opinion. Still, I don't see why you see Disney as the bad guy but you congratulate Avis on their business sense.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

There are a couple routes from MCO to WDW, right? Which one are you referring to? 528 to I4 seems to be the recommended route, though 417 straight in is another option

Follow up question - what is the difference between the cash toll and that through the transponder? In Illinois, cash is 2x the transponder rate.

Take the 417 route. 528 is more congested and I-4 is under construction for the next few years. I take a cosmetic bag and put a few $1 (6) and about $3 in quarters place the bag in the console of the rental car and you are good to go.

 

[kwdw]

I'd take the 417 route and plan to pay cash. There is one place you "might" get off that is unmanned - and you need quarters - but all the rest of the tolls are manned. It's so easy. No way I'm giving the rental car company extra money.

I make sure I have about 6 quarters with me in my purse when I leave home the morning of my flight. Then - when I get to the first toll booth - I pay with a $5 to $20 bill. As I pay at each manned stop - I just keep making sure I haven't accessed my "just in case" quarters - since I can't for the life of me remember which exit is unmanned.

The cash lanes are quick, easy, well-marked, and the staff tend to be happy. You MIGHT, MIGHT - wait for one car in front you. This is nothing like the massive back-ups you might find at some toll plazas in the NE US.

 

[gharter]

The last few times we have rented a car, we took 417. Total tolls each way were under $5. The main ones of 417 all have cash options and are manned. Just be sure to have change for the last toll off 417 as that one is not manned. Same if you are going to get off 417 to get groceries.

 

[pd1138]

The cash lanes are quick, easy, well-marked, and the staff tend to be happy. You MIGHT, MIGHT - wait for one car in front you. This is nothing like the massive back-ups you might find at some toll plazas in the NE US.

We are renting a car for the first time and this insight is helpful for me....coming from the area where DE and NJ are basically parking lots leading up to a toll booth .....