V-Flyer

Due to travel in next couple of weeks to MCO. My dilemma is weather to purchase a sunpass or not. I have a week in Orlando, davenport area ( most adventure parks will be done along with space centre ). Then it's down to Miami along turnpike I assume for 2 nights in south beach, then across to Naples for 5 nights and back to MCO. I haven't booked car rental yet either.

Any advice please, as Sunpass website isn't that clear.

Thanks

Kris

When we purchased a sunpass in December, we spent a week in Orlando then travelled to keywest.

It was cheaper to get the sunpass when we travelled down the turnpike and back, and you don't need to worry about tolls and change/ correct money as you leave MCO

Sharon

we have also used a sunpass but only around the Orlando area,whilst money wise was not worth it but we did not any nasty surprises on our CC for non non payment of toll charges as posted in another forum

No need to purchase a sunpass. when you collect your car ask about the Toll express service you leave your credit card details at the desk and all the Tolls are charged back to your card. You don't even need to go through the toll boths just drive past and the auto cameras read your plate.
We travel to Orlando 4/5 times a year and have always used this service

gayboyzuk wrote:No need to purchase a sunpass. when you collect your car ask about the Toll express service you leave your credit card details at the desk and all the Tolls are charged back to your card. You don't even need to go through the toll boths just drive past and the auto cameras read your plate.
We travel to Orlando 4/5 times a year and have always used this service

good post thanks for the tip

I also just let car hire companies just charge the tolls to my credit card which was so much easier than having to stop and pay cash at tolls.

The only minor thing to watch for is that these toll charges do tend to trickle onto your credit card over the space of a few weeks even after you have travelled.

We rented with Sixt last week and had unlimited toll charges which IIRC worked out at about £6/day. Probably not the cheapest but a least hassle option and the reassurance of no surcharges/bills later. Collected in Miami, drove down to Key West and then back up to Orlando. Miami Sixt is onsite at the airport rental car centre but at MCO, they are off-airport and you have to take a shuttle bus .

Just back from the US arriving in Miami then to Naples then up to Georgia. My advice is not to use Dollar car hire. They charge a ridiculous fee. We changed to Alamo even though it cost us a cancellation fee. Worked out a lot cheaper.

ok hi we just got back from orlando 2 things i would say we did not use a sunpass but we went to a resturant one night when we came back though the toll booth they where all out of order bar the sun pass one we went though the corect change one in the end and it took a picture and made a horrible beeping noise i grabed a envlope and phoned the next day told them what had happend so we had to send payment by post order other wise we would incur a 25 doller charge for 25 cent toll so i would get the sun pass just incase this happens to you ! for car rental use thrifty we did but booked it though net flights very chaeap and very good car

ok as locals we use a sunpass a lot. you can buy two types. an adhesive one vehicle one or a magnetic transferable one. they are $5 and $25 respectively. the decision is whether you will be back time and time again and can justify the magnetic one. you can pick them up in any Publix, CVS or Walgreens. then just register and 'liven' on line. you can set an automatic top up from a credit card.
then you can just breeze thru the sunpass lane without stopping

. one important tip. If you buy the magnetic dont forget to take it off your rental car before returning it, otherwise it will be scanned and you could get charged for the time it sits in the car park or if the rental company take it off the 'meter keeps ticking'

Thanks for all your replies it does help, at the moment going to chance it without buying a sunpass and leaving card details with rental company. Which is my next step, again thanks.

We always use Alamo/National, as their toll by number plate recognition system is by far the cheapest. They charge a maximum of $6 per rental for the facility, plus any Tolls that you accrue. You don't have to do anything except drive through the sunpass/e-toll lanes.

Alamo or National seem to be about the best value for tolls.