Many visitors to Central Florida know that renting a car at Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the ultimate freedom. You have a vehicle at your disposal for the entirety of your trip, and that allows you to not only come and go as you please, but also lets you go just about anywhere without the hassles and occasional uncertainties of shuttles, buses, taxis, and ride-sharing.
Of course, you have to return your car at the end of your trip, which leaves you with the question of whether or not to fill up your tank before you return the vehicle (should you prepay for the gas? Read this to help you decide). If you decide to fill up just before you get to MCO, that’s great!
Just don’t fill up at these places.
Suncoast Energys
The Suncoast Energys gas station is officially located at 5928 Butler National Dr. but is easily visible from S. Semoran Blvd., which is the N/S running street just north of MCO. It consistently has one of the highest prices for gasoline in the country, regardless of what “normal” gas prices are.
<— Northbound // Southbound, towards MCO —>
And if charging upwards of over two times the going rate for gasoline wasn’t enough, for YEARS this gas station didn’t even post prices! People didn’t know how much the gas was until they got to the pump. Eventually, the City of Orlando enforced an ordinance that gasoline prices had to be posted in an easily viewable spot, and for a while there, the Suncoast Energys was fined $250 daily, because they didn’t have signs. Now they do. One sign. That you can barely see from the main road. Because of course you can’t.
via Yelp/Will S.
Yep, that’s just shy $6 per gallon. As a comparison, most gas stations have been charging between $2.50 and $3.50 per gallon (depending on current trends) for well over a year.
If you look at this place’s Yelp pages, you’ll see dozens of people who paid their ridiculous prices because they didn’t know better. No wonder why it only has 1 star.
Sun Gas
Oh, and the Sun Gas station directly across the street, at 5600 Butler National Dr.? Almost as bad. Maybe a few cents less. And it also collected fines for not showing its prices for a while. The big problem with that gas station is it’s the very last one, southbound, before you reach the airport.
<— Southboard towards MCO // Northbound —>
So Where Can You Go?
There’s a Wawa that’s just a block or two up, at 6550 S. Semoran Blvd, that has almost normal prices. You’re welcome to go there for your gas, if you’d like. Or go a little more north and there will be other places with regular prices. (see below the map for places closer to the tourist areas).
Top = North // Bottom = South to Orlando Int’l Airport
You can also click here to see the places that are just off the Greeneway (Rt. 417) and the Beachline (Rt. 528), both of which are the main roads between MCO and the tourist areas. The gas stations on these two highways have “normal” prices.
But whatever you do, please don’t buy gas at Suncoast Energys or Sun Gas!
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21 comments
I always use gas buddy, it’s a big help especially for stations like these. Thanks for the heads up.
Yup, absolutely! But for those who don’t have that app, or especially for visitors from other countries who don’t have internet access in the U.S. unless they have WiFi access, it’s a good heads up. 😉
There’s a Chevron (?I think it’s a Chevron?) station right near the Crossroads entrance of WDW property that also has sky high prices. But not as high as these two on Semoran Blvd.
There’s a Shell on Vineland off the main drag that’s just as bad. Many hotels right there across I-4 from the Disney Springs area, so I guess that’s where they get their business. The Wawa on Semoran is relatively new, but I don’t know how the Sun stations can still stay in business now that Wawa is less than 2 blocks away! Then again, there’s a BP on Narcoossee just north of the 528 that is consistently 20 cents higher than the 7-11s within a block, and I *always* see people filling up there. I don’t understand it.
Just use google map. it shows the gas price now.
Yep! That works well as long as you have data. However a lot of visitors to Central FL are from foreign countries and they may only have internet access if they have WiFi. So this post is still a good backup plan.
Yes-noticed this when the kids were Disney age. Used google maps to find normal prices. Could also get the app- I think it’s called “gas buddy”- to find normal prices. But these places get away with this the price gouging- probably also because people are rushing to catch flights and just pay rather that searching elsewhere.
Talking about high gas prices at Disney – at least the Speedway within Disney is at normal market prices!
SO_CAL_RETAIL_SLUT
Years ago (I’m talking decades ago) it didn’t used to be. It was never as high as these 2 places but it was definitely “tourist prices.”
I believe part of the contract for those gas stations at Disney (MK, Boardwalk and Disney Springs) is that they can not charge much higher prices than the stations off property.
Probably. But if that is indeed the case, years ago, it wasn’t.
I find it ironic that this particular gas station has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating regardless of all the complaints.
Reminds me of the ARCO station at Sacramento this didn’t or maybe still doesn’t take credit cards.
What is the purpose of a business? TO MAKE $$$. enough said
A business has every right to make money. However there’s no need to rip people off and price gouge them. Any way we can help travelers save some of that $$$ you speak of, we will.
I’m surprised the station didn’t game the city and the consumer and post their prices. In liters.
LOLOL! SHHHHHhhhhhh! Don’t give them any ideas!!!!!
Ray the owner is a crook who use to live in Ventura Country Club. Je was the cheapest guy around. Called in his order for food and drinks so he could get the happy hour prices. Bartenders and servers hated him. We were so glad when he moved out
This place has ripped tourist and unlucky travelers off for years. The owners only response to the price gouging is, “you’ll pay it or run out of gas. I don’t care which”.
Can someone explain to me the gas station on Vineland right outside the outlet mall? They always charge about 3 times the going price per gallon.
We live near Orlando Airport, and when we eat at the Cracker Barrel next door to Suncoast, we continue to be amazed at people still getting gas there, when several phone apps would direct them to better gas prices!
There is a had station inside MCO by terminal C, reasonable prices!