What to Keep in Mind When Renting a Car in Orlando

Insurance policies that are sold twice, tolls that are charged three times, prepaid gas tanks that are never a good deal, and the underlying question: Do you really need a car in Orlando?

Published July 29, 20264 min read

Auto de alquiler en una ruta abierta al atardecer

Renting a car in the United States seems simple until you get the bill. The advertised rate is rarely what you end up paying, and the difference isn’t just a few dollars—it can double the total. This guide covers what you should have figured out before you get to the counter.

First: Do you really need one?

If your trip is exclusively to Disney World and you’re staying at an official hotel, probably not. On-site transportation is free and covers all the parks, and parking at the parks costs about $30 per day for non-residents.

A car becomes necessary if your itinerary includes both Universal Orlando and Disney on the same trip, if you’re staying outside the resort, if you plan to visit outlet malls or supermarkets, or if you’re thinking of taking a side trip to the coast. In those cases, it’s no longer a luxury—it’s actually the most economical option.

Insurance: Where the Money Goes

This is the area that causes the most confusion and where people tend to overpay the most.

LDW / CDW

Covers damage to the rental car. In Florida, it’s not required by law, but the rental agency will aggressively push it, charging between $15 and $30 per day.

Before purchasing it, you should check two things. First: many Visa Signature, Mastercard World, and American Express credit cards include damage coverage when you rent a car by paying with that card and expressly declining the rental agency’s insurance. Second: You must call your issuing bank to confirm that the coverage applies in the United States for the type of vehicle you’re renting. Card coverage typically excludes large SUVs and luxury vehicles.

SLI / Liability Insurance

This is a different type of coverage—and it’s the most important one. It covers damages to third parties, and credit cards almost never include it. Florida requires a very low minimum coverage—$10,000 for property damage—which isn’t nearly enough in the event of a serious accident.

A personal injury lawsuit in the United States can easily exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is the insurance you should purchase, even though it’s the least advertised. It costs between $12 and $18 per day and provides coverage up to one million dollars.

Tolls: The System That Confuses Everyone

Orlando’s highways are toll roads, and many don’t have staffed toll booths—just electronic gantries that photograph the license plate.

Rental agencies offer a transponder (SunPass or E-PASS) for between $5 and $15 per day, plus the tolls. On a two-week trip, that amounts to up to $210 in administrative fees for about $40 in actual tolls.

The alternatives: decline the transponder and use only toll-free routes by setting your GPS to avoid them—you’ll lose between ten and twenty minutes per trip, which isn’t a big deal—or buy a portable SunPass at any Publix or Walgreens for about USD 5 and load it with credit.

What you shouldn’t do is ignore the issue: every toll gate you pass through without a transponder results in an administrative fine from the agency of between USD 15 and 25, in addition to the toll.

Gas

The “prepaid tank” option is almost never a good deal: you pay for a full tank at the rental agency’s price and get no refund for any leftover fuel. Returning the car with a full tank—filling up at a gas station near the airport—is always cheaper.

A practical tip: Many gas pumps require a U.S. ZIP code when paying with a foreign credit card. The solution is to pay inside at the cash register, handing over your card before filling up.

Additional Driver and Age

Almost all rental agencies charge between $10 and $15 per day for an additional driver. Some include a spouse at no extra charge, but you must request this explicitly and are usually required to show proof of your relationship.

Drivers under 25 pay a surcharge of between USD 25 and 40 per day. Drivers under 21 are simply not allowed to rent from most agencies in Florida.

Child Safety Seats

Florida requires a car seat for children under five. Rental agencies charge about USD 14 per day to rent one, which over two weeks adds up to the cost of buying a new one. Almost all airlines transport car seats free of charge as checked baggage, so bringing your own is free and ensures you’re using a seat you’re familiar with.

When Picking Up the Car

It’s worth taking five minutes to: take photos of the entire car, including the roof and bumpers, before leaving the parking lot; verify that the fuel level matches what’s stated in the contract; and confirm in writing which insurance coverages were included.

When returning the car, ask for the return receipt and don’t leave until you have it. Damage charges that appear weeks later are much harder to dispute without that documentation.