Can we talk shoes?

[Belia]

I'm really stressed out about what shoes I should plan on wearing on our trip this spring. I haven't been to WDW in 20 years, and my main memory of the parks is painful, aching feet! I really need to wear the best, most supportive shoes possible.

I have regular Nike tennis shoes I wear when doing a lot of walking around here which are fine, I guess, but not great by any means. Plus if they got really wet from a ride or a big rainstorm, they would be a disaster.

So lay it on me. What shoes do you ladies recommend? What about for the kids? I have 2 boys.

Thank you!

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

I always wear my sneakers, which are by New Balance. My feet are always comfortable at amusement parks. However, during our last Disney trip it rained so much that I bought some waterproof Teva sandals with arch supports that I will wear next time.

 

[JoanneAZ]

In warm weather I alternate between a pair of Keen sandals and my New Balance running shoes with arch support inserts. In cool weather I alternate between the running shoes and a pair of waterproof loafers from Keen with compression socks. When I come back to the room I will soak my feet in the tub, massage lotion into them and put on knee high compression socks. I also use a pair of slippers or flip flops with good arch support in the room. The most important things are to break the shoes in well and get used to walking a lot before you go.

 

[Tomh]

I'm really stressed out about what shoes I should plan on wearing on our trip this spring. I haven't been to WDW in 20 years, and my main memory of the parks is painful, aching feet! I really need to wear the best, most supportive shoes possible.

I have regular Nike tennis shoes I wear when doing a lot of walking around here which are fine, I guess, but not great by any means. Plus if they got really wet from a ride or a big rainstorm, they would be a disaster.

So lay it on me. What shoes do you ladies recommend? What about for the kids? I have 2 boys.

Thank you!

We have done two weeks in Disney World every August for the past 10 years, and my shoe strategy hasn't really changed much in that whole time. My main shoes are a pair of Nike Air Monarch sneakers. They are my daily footwear at home, and do fine for me in the parks. I make certain to buy a new pair at least a couple of weeks before the trip, and wear them at home enough to break them in some. My other pair of shoes is a pair of Teva sandals. If it looks like a soaker of a day, I will be certain to wear the Teva's. I switch back and forth between the sneakers and sandals, and my feet are fine.

My wife calls me an old man because of it, but I wear socks with my sandals. I find that the socks keep the sandals from rubbing on my feet, and that keeps my feet from getting sore. If it starts to rain, I will take the socks off until the rain passes. I might look like an old man, but my feet are comfortable, and I can keep walking for the two weeks we are on vacation

 

[OKW Lover]

Recommendations about shoes are pretty much all over the place. The problem is that there are so many variables.

First: A simple "Nike" (or any other brand) recommendation doesn't help because the manufacturers use different lasts for different models of their shoe. That's why some fit your foot and other's don't even if they are the same size and manufacturer.

Second: Even more important, everybody's feet are different. Not only are the feet different sizes, but the arch is different. And they have to support people of different sizes and gaits (the way you walk). Only if you could identify the people who are making recommendations and limit the ones you consider to those having similar factors could you get consensus about what works best for you.

So...go with whatever shoe you currently have that is best for long days on your feet. Don't buy new shoes for a Disney vacation. Bring only well broken in shoes.

 

[Kpitts17]

I researched soooo many different shoe/feet tips before going as I had not been to disney for an extended stay for 15 years! Here are some tips:

1: Find comfortable shoes and bring 2-3 minimum pairs so you can rotate them throughout the trip. This prevents odor and stress as well as they're bound to get a little wet from the random rains. I bought some nice nike running shoes at DSW and Allbirds wool runners. Not as warm as you would think, very breathable.

2: Be prepared! Buy blister bandages, shoe spray to keep soles dry and gel inserts.

3: Take care of your feet. Every night, after 13-14 hours in the park, we would wash our feet with an avocado soap from lush and put on peppermint lotion to help with the pain. Everyone's feet is different, but find some products that work for you to keep your feet relaxed and feeling refreshed for the next day!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I've tried many over the years.
I got Sketcher's go walk with yoga mat insoles in May 2016 when I started walking daily for exercise. I walk about 2 miles every day and I've gone on 7 Disney trips since then.
They are an absolute dream. They do tend to wear out semi quickly but like I said I walk 2 miltes daily so my wear and tear on them is grater than the average person.
I believe they make them for men, women, boys, and girls.
Plus I always pack a second pair of them for if/when one pair gets soaked then I can use the dry pair the next day.
I should add that I've always had baby sensitive feet and my friend calls me the princess and the pea because if anything is not "just so" I cannot wear it.
I've also found that putting vicks on my feet each morning at Disney then my socks and sneakers my feet are much less sore than they used to be.

 

[Rach3975]

I think that whatever sneakers you can wear comfortably through lots of walking at home are probably the safest bet. Most of my family prefers their everyday sneakers in the parks (New Balance or Nike, depending on the family member). I either wear Crocs sandals (the kind with a Crocs sole and leather uppers) or my slip on sneakers (Klogs brand). Through our first 1.5 trips I wore the sandals and thought I was fine. I had to put bandaids in a few spots as a preventive measure when I noticed a little rubbing and a few times a day used a Blister stick on the bottom of my feet as a preventive measure, but I was generally okay and only a little sore at the end of the day. Then I tried my slip on sneakers for the last 1/2 of our most recent trip, and I don't know if I'll ever go back to sandals for Disney! I assume it's because I was wearing socks, but I didn't have to fuss with bandaids or blister sticks at all. My feet were still only a little sore at the end of the day.

I've seen the suggestion to keep a pair of waterproof sandals in your bag for quick storms, but with 5 of us and 2 park bags that's not practical. Leather sneakers may stay drier than fabric sneakers.

 

[Monykalyn]

I researched soooo many different shoe/feet tips before going as I had not been to disney for an extended stay for 15 years! Here are some tips:

1: Find comfortable shoes and bring 2-3 minimum pairs so you can rotate them throughout the trip. This prevents odor and stress as well as they're bound to get a little wet from the random rains. I bought some nice nike running shoes at DSW and Allbirds wool runners. Not as warm as you would think, very breathable.

2: Be prepared! Buy blister bandages, shoe spray to keep soles dry and gel inserts.

3: Take care of your feet. Every night, after 13-14 hours in the park, we would wash our feet with an avocado soap from lush and put on peppermint lotion to help with the pain. Everyone's feet is different, but find some products that work for you to keep your feet relaxed and feeling refreshed for the next day!

4. Moleskin. Use it on any part of your feet that seem to rub at all. Will prevent having to spouse the blister bandaids.

Ditto all this. This past trip - was to universal not Disney, we still walked over 8 miles daily- I bought Tevas sandals at the Lake Buena Vista outlet mall this trip and wore them right away, omg I wish I would have bought a couple pair. So do find a few pairs of shoes you are very comfortable with.

But the single best thing you can do is start a walking regimen right away. The only time my legs aren’t sore and feet don’t hurt at all is when I walk daily at home (or climb 9+ Flights of stairs multiple times daily instead of using elevator).

 

[jesskeys91]

I loved my Brooks Glycerin running shoes for walking in the park on my last trip. Everyone else in my group had sore feet covered in blisters but mine weren’t bad at all. I will say, the best way to find comfy shoes that will work best for you is to go to like a sporting goods store and try a bunch on to see which fit your natural walk style and foot shape. You can’t always just go by a particular brand or what works for other people.

 

[natfrac]

Vans (Authentic style) are my go-to shoes, and have been for 40+ years. My kids (now adults) wear a combination of Vans/Converse tennis shoes.

 

[Malyficent]

4. Moleskin. Use it on any part of your feet that seem to rub at all. Will prevent having to spouse the blister bandaids.

Ditto all this. This past trip - was to universal not Disney, we still walked over 8 miles daily- I bought Tevas sandals at the Lake Buena Vista outlet mall this trip and wore them right away, omg I wish I would have bought a couple pair. So do find a few pairs of shoes you are very comfortable with.

But the single best thing you can do is start a walking regimen right away. The only time my legs aren’t sore and feet don’t hurt at all is when I walk daily at home (or climb 9+ Flights of stairs multiple times daily instead of using elevator).

I also suggest Glide for Feet. I applied it daily with good socks and alternated my shoes - helped prevent hot spots. I made it through eight days without any blisters.

 

[OKW Lover]

and alternated my shoes

Good point about alternating shoes!

 

[amberpi]

I've always found the secret to happy feet are changing up shoes at least twice a day. I like flat sandals so my feet can breathe. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I've worn sneakers, I've gotten terrible blisters and that's with the right socks, shoes custom fitted, etc. My feet need to breathe.

 

[TikiBabe]

I alternate between my Asics running shoes that have very good support and cushioning, and a pair of teva sandals.

 

[iivye]

I have never found one good pair of shoes that I can wear for a whole trip. What works for me is a different pair everyday (or sometimes twice a day). I bring sandals, flip flops and sneakers.

 

[Clockwork]

I alternate every day, my wife says our room looks like we have a family of 14 in it. The cushioning in shoes doesn’t rebound fast enough so I usually wait 24hrs before I rewear. Some of the best shoes I’ve used have been adidas boost or bounce and Nike reacts. Just remember to break them in before you go to the parks so you’ll know if the shoe causes hot spots or discomfort.

 

[stace1214]

I can't stand sneakers when it's hot, and we usually go in August. I swear by Croc Capri flip flops. They have great support and are so comfortable. Of course my feet still ache by the end of the day, but these make my feet feel so much better than anything else I've ever tried.

 

[JoJoL]

If you decide to wear sneakers, I suggest going to an actual shoe store to get fitted properly and to get the best type of shoe for you. I recently went to a local store that sells running shoes, and other types of athletic shoes. They measured my foot, checked out my arches and then put me in a shoe best suited for me. It was great old fashioned service. And I’m sure my feet will thank me in two weeks!

 

[sneakycat]

I brought a pair of Keens and a pair of tennis shoes. I mainly wore the Keens (example pictured below) since they are waterproof and are airy like sandals but feel more secure and are more comfortable than flip flops. The tennis shoes were my backup.

Like everyone else said, just make sure you break in whatever shoes you choose before going to Disney.