Driving in Florida

[cutsy123]

Anybody had any recent experience?

Trana get an idea of tollroads around orlando. Fees etc

Staying near haines at balmoral at waters edge in a week or so but have a car included this time and will be driving to the theme parks, beaches and cape canavaral

Cheers

[Claret Till I Die]

Drove last summer without any problems. Most routes have toll less versions but if not it's only around $1 Or slightly more on most. We stayed bear Haines City and others even drove. I honestly find it easier tobdrive over there than I do here

[bfcmartin]

We are here at the moment tolls are cheap but we don't use them much only to and from the airport. I find driving much easier than the UK

[Wilf Mbanga]

Driving in the states is a doddle. Cars are all automatic and the locals drive so slow. Be careful with the traffic fuzz - they are everywhere out of the towns and are utterly humourless. Obey the speed limits - they are ruthlessly enforced. Remember you can turn right on a red light. About the only advance the states have contributed to motoring.

[starting_11]

I've only ever used Alamo.

Good choice of cars, usually get some kind of 3.0 V6. CDW is included and the price is half decent.

They didn't try to upsell me on anything other than a GPS. The basic rate covers everything anyway.

If you're dropping off in the random Florida area you should be OK to find a gas station to fill it up before you leave it but if you're going back to a big city downtown drop off or airport then fill up at the last gas station you see or pay for the fill up option at the desk.

As for the tolls, ask them at the desk about it but in my experience just drive thru them and they'll send the bill to the company who will just put it on your credit card, either that or keep loads of quarters with you and stop and pay.

[Blackrod]

Be careful not to go for a pee on the side of the road. You never know what might come out of the undergrowth !

[1968claret]

Driving in Florida is very easy as others have said. Recommend getting satnav in your hire car, once you get off the freeways, signs can be a bit hit and miss. If you are staying out in Haines and travelling to Disney area regularly then you might also want to get an EZPass. Saves having to stop and pay at each toll booth and will probably work out a little cheaper.

[ontario claret]

Lots of gators around. They might "nip you in the bud". Or worse.

[Quickenthetempo]

Roads are quiet until you hit the Disney parks.

Only problem I saw was the huge vehicles the Americans park in normal size bays. Can cause problems getting through car parks.

[ClaretTony]

It's a long time since I flew into Orlando but we picked a car up at the airport and had no option but to go on a toll road so I'd make sure you have some coinage ready to pay for that if necessary.

[cutsy123]

thanks guys for the input

we are going with Virgin so the car is included. SUV type car as there's 5 of us. Hearing petrol is dirt cheap too - what's the crack at the petrol station. can you pay at the pump like here? (we get a full tank on arrival and dont have to refill before dropping back off - pick up and drop at airport)

we're planning on driving to disney every other day, and also to universal/islands of adventure/volcano bay, and also to the beaches on either side as well as kennedy space centre. looks reasonably straightforward on google maps though

On the tolls, do i need to have plenty of change in the car, or can you use card on them?

[Quickenthetempo]

Either buy the EZpass (prepaid)or let the toll bill just come on your hire car bill. Pay when you drop it off.

[Wilf Mbanga]

May be worth buying a sat nav out there. It can work out cheaper. Also if you have a uk sat nav update with USA maps - again a cheaper option.

[Quickenthetempo]

Either buy the EZpass (prepaid)or let the toll bill just come on your hire car bill. Pay when you drop it off.

Also if you park up at any Disney resort they have free buses to the others, which is worth doing.

[FCBurnley]

Stop signs mean full and complete stop. Traffic lights now have cameras so dont run the red light. Avoid I-4 through downtown. We are in the middle of a 10 year re build. EZ Pass allows you to drive straight thru tolls. NO queues. Suggest you drive on the right otherwise you might have a few problems. Enjoy. Hope weather improves. Tons of rain right now.

[ontario claret]

At least the rain cools things off a little. It's been bright and sunny here in Southern Ontario for about a month straight.

[cutsy123]

been looking at the EZ pass but wasnt sure if it was worthwhile?

we've stayed at disney resorts before, but wanted to do the car thing this time to go to more places. the car is included in the overall package so no additional hire so to speak. built in sat nav in the SUV they tell us

[1968claret]

been looking at the EZ pass but wasnt sure if it was worthwhile?

we've stayed at disney resorts before, but wanted to do the car thing this time to go to more places. the car is included in the overall package so no additional hire so to speak. built in sat nav in the SUV they tell us

Looking at the journeys you intend to do I would say an EX pass will be well worth it. Should work out cheaper but also removes a lot of the hassle.
It’s a few years since I was there but I do remember the petrol stations being quite strange. You had to go into the kiosk with your card to prepay. May be different now though.
If you doing Disney I would definitely recommend at least one visit to the water parks.

[cutsy123]

Looking at the journeys you intend to do I would say an EX pass will be well worth it. Should work out cheaper but also removes a lot of the hassle.
It’s a few years since I was there but I do remember the petrol stations being quite strange. You had to go into the kiosk with your card to prepay. May be different now though.
If you doing Disney I would definitely recommend at least one visit to the water parks.

thanks pal

done the water parks mate multiple times. we're going to volcano bay this time, the new one at universal

[cutsy123]

Stop signs mean full and complete stop. Traffic lights now have cameras so dont run the red light. Avoid I-4 through downtown. We are in the middle of a 10 year re build. EZ Pass allows you to drive straight thru tolls. NO queues. Suggest you drive on the right otherwise you might have a few problems. Enjoy. Hope weather improves. Tons of rain right now.

ez pass - talk to me!

how do i get one, what's the process?

[1968claret]

ez pass - talk to me!

how do i get one, what's the process?

Just sort it with the car hire company when you pick the car up.

[ElectroClaret]

Some cracking strip clubs near South Orange Blossom Trail, cutsy. At least there used to be.

But if you're going with the family, maybe not.

[deanothedino]

Don't forget that Americans are incapable of driving straight

[Noble Peter]

Just got back last Saturday driving over there is easier than over here , never bothered paying the tolls with the hire companies just pay the booths on the way to the beaches etc .Sat Navs are around $80-100 at Best Buy , if you are close to colne you can Borrow one of ours the hire companies try to charge $15.00 a day + tax,as for the gas stations always use regular gas the cheapest it’s around €2.89 gallon , the parks are fairly quiet at moment volcano bay is the busiest one though avoid the weekends , kong skull island in islands of adventure is the dogs , enjoy your trip jelous as hell back in September though .

[starting_11]

No one owns a phone with google maps on it?

Or reads my posts either

Ook

[SammyBoy]

It's been mentioned already but stick to the speed limit, speaking from experience you will get a shafting if you don't.

[cutsy123]

Just got back last Saturday driving over there is easier than over here , never bothered paying the tolls with the hire companies just pay the booths on the way to the beaches etc .Sat Navs are around $80-100 at Best Buy , if you are close to colne you can Borrow one of ours the hire companies try to charge $15.00 a day + tax,as for the gas stations always use regular gas the cheapest it’s around €2.89 gallon , the parks are fairly quiet at moment volcano bay is the busiest one though avoid the weekends , kong skull island in islands of adventure is the dogs , enjoy your trip jelous as hell back in September though .

Ok great thanks for your help

Il get onto them about whether sat nav is included. Given the spec of the vehicle were taking i presume it would be built in to the car.

We missed kong last time as it had jus opened n broke down whilst we were waiting. Defo on that

[CaptJohn]

I spend quite a bit of time in Florida every year and find driving fairly easy. The roads are big and as several people have commented all of the cars are very easy to drive. If you are going to go regularly I'd recommend that you obtain a "Sunpass" https://www.sunpass.com/index This is a transponder that attaches to your windscreen and effectively gives you a discount on all toll fees. It makes life very easy. Trying to get from MCO in any direction without paying a toll is difficult. (Not impossible as I did it once to see if it was possible)
If you are a nervous driver in a "leftie" then use common sense when you drive in terms of the time of day. Rush hour on the I-4 going through Orlando can be hectic and expect large queues. Likewise any of the Interstates in and around major cities can be hectic at rush hour and if you do get stuck in traffic stay calm and don't ever get involved in any kind of "road rage" malarky. Remember the locals will most likely have a firearm in their vehicle

[MiltonKeynesClaret93]

[quote="cutsy123”] Hearing petrol is dirt cheap too - what's the crack at the petrol station. can you pay at the pump like here?[/quote]

You can pay at the pump at most places, but if your card doesn’t work for whatever reason, then you can go inside, pre-pay for say $40 of fuel with cash or card, and whatever you don’t use just gets refunded straight away, either in change or onto your card.
I’ve always had to pay for the fuel first though.

As for toll roads, I imagine almost all of them accept card nowadays. If you have a credit card, just use that. Global exchange rate and most only charge a few percent as a transaction fee. EZ pass an option too.

[KRBFC]

Make sure you don't knock over any Florida Panthers or you will find yourself in jail

[CaptJohn]

They don't accept credit cards and there are a lot of unmanned toll booths that only accept coins. If you don't have an "EZ Pass" or "Sunpass" transponder always have at least two dollars in coins (Preferably quarters) in the vehicle to prevent any fines.