How to not have sore feet?

[Colleen27]

For me, it is really just a matter of having two pairs of good shoes and trading off between them. I usually go back and forth between my athletic sandals (right now, Merrills) and sneakers (usually New Balance). I won't wear new shoes in the park, not because I think the shoes need to be broken in but because I wouldn't want to take a chance on unexpected blisters from friction on different parts of my foot. Especially with sandals, knowing how to adjust the straps for a good fit and understanding how they'll be in hot or wet weather takes a few wearings at least.

But I also think your starting point in terms of walking makes the biggest difference. We sort of "train" for our WDW trips because it is so much walking, just by walking more than usual both in distance and frequency. Disneyland isn't nearly as demanding, but it is still worth just getting in the habit of being on your feet before going.

 

[MikeOhio]

Do lots of running or walking before the trip. I used to get sore feet and started running about three years ago. Walking around the parks is a breeze now.

 

[lalasmama]

Are you using so many painkillers for sore feet or a medical condition?

A few days of Ibuprofen and Tylenol for a few days while at Disneyland works for many people.

Am *I* personally using "so many painkillers" for sore feet? Yup, you betcha I am! And my hubs and kid and grandkids do too, in their correct doses! We're using appropriate amounts of over the counter anti-inflammatory and pain relieving medication to cover foot and leg pain common when walking 13-15 miles a day and something like 20 flights-worth of inclines without previous, continuous training that would ease such pains. We've checked with our doctors, and none of them have any issue with it.

Good news: *You* don't need to take "so many painkillers!" As I mentioned, I was sharing what *my* family does, and what has been approved by *our* medical professionals.

 

[disneychrista]

Good pair of shoes, with good insoles. And if applicable lose weight. After losing weight my feet hurt so much less.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I’ve been back five days after spending two days in the parks and my feet still hurt! I wore quality shoes, switched them out with other quality shoes during our break, took 800mg of ibuprofen every few hours, ran cold water on them at night, and they still hurt!

 

[dieumeye]

Everyone is different, I guess, but here is what worked for me.

For years I had sore feet when walking longer distances. I always bought “good” quality name-brand shoes from stores at the “nice mall” so I thought I was doing all I could and there was no alternative.

Then I was introduced to high impact running shoes. Soft, lightweight, magic. Not only did they feel great, they literally put a spring in my step as I felt propelled forward with each step. Best of all, I could walk miles and miles with no sore feet. I have never looked back, they are all I wear now.

You have to specifically look for high impact (maximum cushioning) running shoes. Not just any ol’ sneaker, or even shoes in the “running” section of the mall shoe store. So that means going to a specialty running shoe store or ordering online.

The cost is also higher than what you’d get at a regular shoe store, but like they say, it’s worth spending money on anything that goes between you and the ground.

I guess the biggest downside is that every other kind of shoe now feels like I have concrete slabs tied to my feet.

 

[midnight star]

It is different for each person. I found that the more I go to DL, my feet hurt less and less. I've done twelve hour days in Rainbow sandals, and my feet and ankles are fine.

I would suggest, do some walking before the trip. Disney endurance is a real thing lol. I noticed that when I first started visiting the parks, my feet would be very sore in my best shoes. Then over time as I walked more, they hurt less and less.

 

[ParkHopper1]

The advice to "break shoes in" is outdated. Athletic shoes like walking, running, or cross trainers don't require that anymore. Most are made from synthetic, lightweight materials and do not need breaking in. In fact, they are the most supportive right out of the box and just continue to lose support every wearing thereafter. Dress shoes benefit from breaking in, not shoes meant for walking miles and miles in. I always buy a brand new pair of running shoes before a big vacation where I will be walking a lot. That is my advice: brand new shoes.

Could not disagree more for someone that is subjective to sore feet in the context of the OP’s question. The last thing you wanna find out on a multi day Disney vacation is that your new shoes give you blisters. “Breaking In” is not so much adapting the shoe to your feet but rather making sure your feet are adapted to the shoes for the endurance required.

 

[B3rlingirl]

The advice to "break shoes in" is outdated. Athletic shoes like walking, running, or cross trainers don't require that anymore. Most are made from synthetic, lightweight materials and do not need breaking in. In fact, they are the most supportive right out of the box and just continue to lose support every wearing thereafter. Dress shoes benefit from breaking in, not shoes meant for walking miles and miles in. I always buy a brand new pair of running shoes before a big vacation where I will be walking a lot. That is my advice: brand new shoes.

I guess you are lucky then...
I totally agree that you don’t need to break in a running shoe for many miles and that new shoes are best out of the box, but you should try them out for at least a couple of miles...! ( or a day at the office/school/university/shopping) So you know that they fit properly because you can’t always decide that in the store... I bought a couple of pairs that fit well in the store but after walking a couple of miles they started to chafe my skin or had some bad pressure points

I bought a shoe for marathon training, liked it and bought a new one for the actual marathon but tried that one out for a couple short runs (maybe 30 miles in total) to make sure the new one fits just as great as the older one. Shoes are not made exactly alike there is always some tolerance so even if you buy the same model twice you won’t know if they fit alike.
I once did the mistake to assume the same shoe model would fit the same way... I‘ve run many, many miles in my old pair and even did a Disney trip without lots of walking. I bought another pair of the same model and used it out of the box for a city tour and they chafed my skin so badly...

But you are right Running shoes won’t get better if you use them to much before the trip. The cushioning and support is best out of the box... but like I said if you wanna be on the safe side use them for a couple of days or a couple of miles...(If the cushioning and support is significantly lessened by that then they are either not produced correctly or you bought to cheap without quality)

 

[jedimdes]

My husband will switch between flip flops and walking shoes during our hotel break midday, also giving his feet a quick soak in the bathtub which seems to help! I now use a wheelchair but that’s also what I used to do before I needed mobility aids. We also bring some blister bandaids and if any part of the feet start hurting we put on the bandages before a blister forms

 

[iheartglaciers]

As others have said, I find it helpful to bring more than one pair of footwear and rotate each day. And at night I bring a golf ball to roll under my foot as a massage, and elevate my feet to reduce swelling.

 

[cruisehopeful]

For me on multiple day visits, at least a couple pairs of different shoes is mandatory. No brand new shoes, either. Mine need to be tested out at home first. I tend to prefer flip flops or sandals, but when it's cold, I need to wear sneakers or hiking boots. Changing out every day makes all the difference. I do walk a lot at home every day, too.

 

[VandVsmama]

For me, it was $185 New Balance running shoes with fancy inserts from the New Balance store & I broke the shoes in for about a month before the trip. Feet didn't hurt one bit.

 

[SteveH]

The advice to "break shoes in" is outdated. Athletic shoes like walking, running, or cross trainers don't require that anymore.

Sorry I just can't agree, even Runners World recommends a break in period of about 5 miles. While they don't need breaking in like a pair of dress shoes, taking a brad new pair of athletic shoes, sandals or anything without a break in period could be a recipe for disaster, especially at Disney. It's not just the shoes that need time to adjust but your feet too.

 

[disneychrista]

Sorry I just can't agree, even Runners World recommends a break in period of about 5 miles.

So like maybe a couple days of wear? Not weeks or months. You don't really want "broken in" shoes you want shoes with good support & cushioning.

 

[Indiana Scott]

If possible, changing shoes mid-day helps but we rarely have room for extra shoes. We also force ourselves to stop, sit down and drink water every 20 to 30 minutes. It sounds like a lot but your whole body feels better for it.

 

[SteveH]

So like maybe a couple days of wear? Not weeks or months. You don't really want "broken in" shoes you want shoes with good support & cushioning.

I'd say yes, but depends on how much you walk. I picked up two new pair of Nike's, to break in before our February trip. Just after a week they felt ready to go.

 

[SeattleTink]

First, before your trip, start walking!!! Start with about a mile in your local neighborhood. Then maybe bump that up a bit. You don't have to go all gung-ho. Just get your feet muscles used to working more than they do now. Take at least 2-3 walks the 10 days before your trip.

And I've always taken two sets of shoes. I'm a New Balance guy. So day one, I put on my NB Runners. They have lots of cushion, so they're nice to start with. The next day, I switch to NB Trainers. They aren't as cushy, but they're solid which gives the ligaments in your foot a rest from the Runners. Just keep switching and you'll be happy.

Honestly, this must be the reason why my feet never hurt at Disneyland. My last trip at the beginning of December we walked almost 50 miles in 4 days and day one we arrived at 5:30 pm. One day it was over 14 miles! I wear Adidas Superstar's and they are so comfortable all day long. But, I do walk a lot on a normal basis, usually getting 10,000 steps every day. So, maybe the answer is conditioning?? Which totally makes sense. And the suggestion to break in shoes....this was a brand new pair of shoes for this trip (replacing the same make as my old ones.)

I would suggest taking a walk (at least a mile) in the shoes you are planning on bringing to Disneyland. Make sure there isn't any rubbing, slipping and that your feet feel well supported.

 

[Elsaspiritanimal]

In addition to some of the great tips above, a huge thing for me at Disney is putting Foot Glide ( or just Body Glide) on my feet under my socks or even if I am wearing sandals. It makes a huge difference in any soreness from feet rubbing weird from the "in the queue" shuffle. For whatever reason the type of walking/standing in line combo wreaks havoc on my feet and Foot glide is an absolute game changer to get me through my 12+ mile Disney days.

 

[Pamela M]

I always recommend a walking program before you go to get your feet used to walking all day. Always wear a pair of good broken in shoes, they should be shoes that work for your feet. I wear running shoes with supportive inserts I get at a local running store. I use wicking socks with built in arch support which has really helped me and in the winter I wear compression knee socks. At night in the hotel soak your feet and massage them by rubbing in foot lotion then elevate them on some pillows so they are higher than your heart to decrease swelling. If you have problems with blisters get some Body Glide and apply it to the problem areas.

Have a great trip!

THIS!!!! I went to Disneyworld earlier this month. I averaged 9-10 miles a day for 7 days and my feet hurt at the end of the day but I was ok by morning. 2-3 months before I left I walked 1 to 2 times a day just for 1/2 hour. Just the movement of getting that walk in every day helped. I also changed my shoes mid day as well as taking advil in the evening. The goals is to take advil before you start hurting not after. So if you wake up and your feet hurt take more and plan on taking it with lunch as well. I ended up only needing advil in the evening.

Also my "slipppers" for walking around the room/pool were running recovery slides from Hoaka - I think that helped too. So I would bring supportive shoes to wear around the room/resort/pool.