Yeah after I skied Mt. Fuji about a year ago we had to jostle this guy out of bed to open the gate because we didn't get down until around 7:30 pm. Maybe because of the two crazy gaijin last year he now warns other gaijin about the gate.

Tolls should not be that bad. Like 600 to 800 yen to Hachioji and then the flat rate of 400 yen all the way to Takaido. I usually get off there to avoid the Shuto toll, which is quite high per km and you can go pretty fast below the highway on that stretch toward Shinjuku. Well you would also have to pay the full 900 Shuto toll since you probably don't have an ETC.

Anyway, Jib and I told you that the Kawaguchi side would be a tourist trap. And crowded on a Saturday.