My 03 4Runner is consistantly chomping at the bit whenever I'm stopped. The V8 torque is enough to cause the vehicle to creep forward when the RPMs surge (happens intermittantly) and I'm not pressing hard on the brake. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I mentioned it to the dealer and he said that the defroster or AC compresser will cause the RPMs to elevate, but it seems to me to be a little extreme and to be putting troublesome strain on the transmission. So - no help from the dealer so far so I'm looking for some advice...

Take it to a mechanic you trust. It is not obviously a problem from your description and needs a careful analysis.

Does the engine surge when it is in park or neutral? or only when it is in a forward gear?

sounds to me like a bad TPS.