How to not have sore feet?

[chickapin parterre]

wow....such a variety of experiences with feet and shoes.......any basketball players out their with sore feet at the end of the day at Disneyland.??? As others mentioned I walk as form of entertainment everyday, I break in my shoes and mid-day take three loops around Disneyland on the train and my 63 year old feet at 300 pounds do not hurt. I think the problem with Disneyland walking is the "Baskeball style" of moving feet, constant twisting, stopping, speeding, gliding, pivot , pushing off, landing on and texture of pathways. The conditiong preparation of feet must take in the consideration of the Disneyland style of walking....it is not a stroll but a hike thru the woods. Pre Disneyland prep walking could be climbing inclines, repetitious walking of stairs up and down,, up and down over curbs, quick turn pivots, all Disneyland movements I also suggest walking on wet lawns or soil.

If you visit Disneyland on a busy day....your foot muscles will move unlike any other environment in you life unless you play basketball or hike cross country trails thru rock/root heavy forest trails or as I do in the Yuma desert

 

[TikiTikiFan]

The Disney training is such a real thing the more I think about it. I’m much more active in the summer- I hike weekly and walk my dog nonstop. In the winter? Ehhh not so much. The dog gets his walks but not the miles we do in the summer and I don’t winter hike.

I could tell a big difference in my walking endurance from our summer trip vs. winter. Other than good shoes, it really does pay to go walking everyday leading up to your trip and ‘train’ yourself.

 

[mich311e]

Start a walking program! I walk 2 miles every day. I'll go up to 3 or 3.5 miles a few times a week prior to our Disneyland trips. It truly helps.

I wear athletic shoes like Asics or flip flops by Fit Flop.

 

[China Expat]

I wear sneakers only....flip flops would destroy my feet and back.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Maxpass

Also love my flip flops.

 

[mamapenguin]

We take a 2-3 hour break mid day.

 

[DuskKodesh]

Walk training is definitely a good thing. In one retail shift I do about 14'000 steps. At the parks I was fine. Elevated my feet at night and I was good to go. Hubs works at a desk and day three not only were his feet REALLY bad but he flared up an old ankle injury which led to us renting a wheelchair and buying him a cane to keep weight off it. He had really nice Dr. Scholl's shoes too, but he just wasn't used to it.

 

[IslaLila]

Like others have said... bring 3 different pairs of broken-in shoes and rotate them. When we were there in October I wore Birkenstocks in the morning then changed to Nikes for the afternoon. While I typically prefer sandals, honestly the Nikes were the most comfortable. An hour break at the hotel to lay down, rest, and elevate your feet helps so much! I kept ibuprofen in my backpack in case I needed it.

We also went on a “Disney workout plan” several weeks in advance and went on much longer walks than normal. That helped a lot.

 

[DLgal]

Just to clarify, I didn't mean buy new shoes and wear them the FIRST time at Disney. I meant, start with new shoes, that you have already worn enough that you know they don't give you blisters or rub somewhere uncomfortably (like wear them for a day where you will be walking a lot). I am a runner/ distance walker. I have worn the same shoe model for about 8 years (Brooks Ravenna). Every year, the model changes slightly, but it's never so drastic that I stop wearing them. I have feet issues that come and go, but a combo of these shoes and Fit Flops (NOT "flip" flops) are my go to Disneyland shoes. I go almost every week, and walk about 7-9 miles each visit. My feet sometimes hurt, sometimes not. Just depends on the day and how much standing in line I did. I find the standing still is what is hardest on my feet, not the actual walking.

 

[Erin M]

I take two to three pairs of shoes and alternate daily, sometimes mid day if it’s been a really full morning. I like lightweight running shoes with gel insoles. I also take ibuprofen when I stop for my daily egg, bacon and cheese croissant at Jolly Holiday and then again at dinner. I also take athletic socks that have built in arch support. Each night I make sure to rub my feet with lotion and put on a fresh pair of cushy socks. This sounds a little sock overboard, but I swear by cushy socks. Saucony are my favorite and sometimes I’ll buy a new pack just for a trip. I do walk a bit before our trips as well, it makes a difference.

 

[BadPinkTink]

In my day to day life I generally walk about 4 miles a day, according to my tracker For me in the parks, I wear Sketchers , which have good support and I wear regularly when walking. Each night, no matter how late when I return to my hotel, I have a bath, soak my feet and use a foot file. I then put on foot moisturizer just before going to bed. On my June 2019 Disneyland trip, I walked about 9 miles each day and had no foot issues.

 

[StormyCA]

For all you Crocs wearers.....don't they make your feet sweat? They aren't a 'breathable' material so I'd think you'd end up rubbing sore spots on your feet from trapped moisture.

I have two pair, one 'plain' for gardening and one 'lined' for, well, winter gardening. The 'plain' pair allow moisture in and unless I wear socks I get 'rub spots'.

 

[limace]

I’ve never had that problem with mine, though no reason you can’t wear socks. It’s not like we aren’t dorky enough wearing them already.

 

[azdisneylover]

I will tell you that my very best luck is with crocs. Ugly as sin but my feet never hurt.

I agree! Our last trip the Arendelle Blue Crocs came out. I seached daily for my size and on the fourth day, I got them!

 

[DLgal]

For all you Crocs wearers.....don't they make your feet sweat? They aren't a 'breathable' material so I'd think you'd end up rubbing sore spots on your feet from trapped moisture.

I have two pair, one 'plain' for gardening and one 'lined' for, well, winter gardening. The 'plain' pair allow moisture in and unless I wear socks I get 'rub spots'.

Depends. The original classic crocs clogs with the large holes keep my feet dry. I have a pair with smaller holes and those make my feet sweat.

My kids wear crocs exclusively at Disney parks. They wear low cut socks with them but take the socks off for water rides in summer or if they get really hot. It feels great to pour a cup of ice water over your crocs on a hot summer day. Instant cool down effect on your whole body!

They care not about their appearance.

I have some powdered foot spray deodorant that prevents sweating that I use when I wear my Skechers go walks without socks. It's Dr Scholl's brand. Works great.

 

[China Expat]

Does anyone use shoe inserts, over the counter orthotics? They work like magic for me!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I wear Crocs loafers or Skechers. Both help. Break up your day with sit-down meals and sit-down shows to get off your feet for awhile.

Have a great time!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Does anyone use shoe inserts, over the counter orthotics? They work like magic for me!

Agree, the sport inserts (Dr. Scholl brand) with extra cushioning in the heel work wonders for the lower back and hip pain that can come from standing in lines.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

I wear a brand called Fit Flop. They are lightweight slip on sneakers with great cushioning. In addition to the specific shoes, we take breaks, soak our feet at the end of the day and use a foot roller (it's like a trigger point foam roller, but sized for feet). I also agree with ramping up your walking and standing before you go so your body adjusts to being on your feet for so long per day. If you can find room in some lines, also do small stretches like for your calves, which helps muscle tension overall.

 

[BLKKROW]

I have abused my feet over the years, so I tend to get very sore feet. I have not found the perfect solution but this is what I have done to make it better.

#1. Find the right pair of shoes, personally I wear Hoka's. They are expensive, look funny but are like walking on cloud's. Also, wear the shoes often so you are comfortable with them, do not just wear them for your trip.

#2. 800mg of Ibuprofen, three times a day. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner). This may differ from what you need, but I have compartment syndrome, so ibuprofen helps prevent major swelling.

#3. Walk! Get off the couch and go for a walk, a few days of the week, at least a month before your big trip. You do not want to stress your feet by walking, 4-5 miles like you may in one day at DL/DCA, but go walk a mile.

#4. Stretch multiple times a day. Look up stretches for "Morton's Neuroma" or "Compartment Syndrome." These stretches, with help immensely.

#5. If possible, rest your feet, by placing them above your head at least once a day. This can be done at a hotel, during the midday, or on a bench away from traffic.

#6. Find a roller that works for you, I use a tube of carbon fiber, that I run my feet over at the begining of the day and at the end of the day. This helps improve blood flow, which should help your feet.

#7. Take breaks! I remember my third visit, I wanted to do everything and be the "Master" of DL/DCA, so my wife and I were speed walking everywhere, and ended up going on 40 rides in the first day. But I couldn't walk the second or third day. If your feet typically hurt, then do not outpace yourself. Spend time doing other things, people watch, have a snack, enjoy a park bench, etc.

Those are the major things I can think of, also note that the First Aid stations give out bags of ice, if you need to ice a muscle or your feet.