Recommended walking shoes!

[Briar Wood]

I only wear boots and I realized I'd better get some serious sneakers for the parks! I asked my cousin who is both a WDW fan and a foot doctor, who recommends the New Balance Cross Trainer sneakers. I got them and they are very comfy!

What other shoes/sneakers do y'all recommend?

BW

 

[Muffy]

My family and I only wear new balance sneakers.

 

[steve_rob]

I'd say any quality pair of sneakers (i.e. ones that won't wear holes in halfway round Epcot!) would do. If you ask in most stores, someone should be able to point out their recommended pairs for walking / running.

More important than the brand / style - if you buy new ones, make sure you break them in! I always wear my new shoes almost constantly for the two weeks before I go to Florida and have never got a blister yet (although my girlfriend has!)

 

[Beast]

A few months ago there was a REALLY good thread on here about footcare. There was TONS of information and ideas (I didn't agree with all of them) that you had to wade through but a lot of it was VERY good.

I don't know if it exsists anymore or where to find it. If anyone knows, can you post a link to it?

Thanks!

 

[d'Isigny]

We've always purchased...Rockports. It is suggested that you purchse them weeks ahead and 'break them in'...

 

[Rhonda922]

I definitely agree about buying new sneakers a couple weeks ahead of time and breaking them in. A lot of times we don't have sneakers on for a long time when we first get them and we think that our feet won't bother us. Then you find yourself at a WDW park for hours and hours and doing tons of walking and all of a sudden those new sneaks are starting to really rub you the wrong way. Sneakers definitely need a good working out before going to any of the parks.

 

[SnackyStacky]

My opinions:

As long as the shoes aren't $20 K Mart special, they should be fine. Get a brand name, and I would say that $40 - $60 is a reasonable price for a pair of sneakers for the type of walking you'll be doing.I also think that good socks are key. I read somewhere that it's better to wear two thinner pairs than one thicker one. Just in case you do get a blister though...

Last trip in September, I took the following:

A straight pin, or safety pin
matches or a lighter
moleskin and/or 2nd skin blister care patches
Dr. Scholl's foot powder
lotion

Every day, I would LOAD my shoes and socks with the powder. I went through a HUGE bottle in our short 5 day stay. Every night I'd put on the lotion. Dr. Scholl's makes a cracked skin repair lotion. I used that stuff. I also had moleskin on my heels.

At one point, I did start to develop a blister. As SOON as I noticed it, I went back to the hotel to take care of it. I used the lighter to sterilize the pin, and put a small hole into the blister to drain the fluid (not to remove the blister, just to drain it!!! TINY hole!!!!). Then carefully and gently, I washed it and patted it dry I then covered it with 2nd skin blister care and a piece of moleskin. I put more powder into my shoes and socks. Don't put bandaids on it because the sweat from your feet will just loosen the adhesive on the band aid and rub causing more blisters. (That's actually how the blister started, I had a cut on my toe that I was using a bandaid for....)

I tell you, the blister had healed before I got on the plane to go home.

I read a lot about putting deodarant on your feet. I tried it, but it didn't work. The steps I just described were outlined in the unofficial guide. (Is it the 2003 that came out in November?)

Hope that helps!

 

[TTFN]

I agree that good socks can make a huge difference in the comfort of your feet. I've tried the layer sock approach, but always seem to have trouble with one sock bunching up against the other. Now I wear and heartily recommend Thor-lo brand walking (or running) socks. They are well padded at the ball and heel of the foot, and have a very supportive elastic-y part at the arch. You can usually find them at sporting goods stores, and if you have a Shoe Carnival near you they almost always have a buy one pair get the second at half price deal! Happy walking!
Beth

 

[MELSMICE]

I find that I get too hot when I wear socks & sneakers, so I need to get a pair of "open air" sandals so my feet can breathe, otherwise I am miserable.

I have never had a problem walking all day long with sandals on. In the evening when it is a little cooler I break out the socks & sneakers. I always make sure I have thin cotton socks. I am a much happier person when my feet are cool because then my body remains cool.

 

[JenniBarra]

I used to love Clark's Drifters, however they've become extremely rare. Earlier this year, I switched to Reebok's Gratify shoe.

 

[karin037]

My husband and I wore our Nike Straprunner III sandals. They are completely waterproof. We even went into the pool with them. The Straprunners are great when it rains. They dry off really quick and we found them to be very comfortable.

 

[blossombrd]

Teva brand sandals, especially nice when it rains. I think it helps to not wear the same shoes every day. Just a couple little things I've learned that make a big diference.

 

[MELSMICE]

Can you find any of these sandals at a sporting goods store or do you need to special order them?

 

[blossombrd]

I got mine at Gander Mountain, a sporting goods store.

 

[IowaGirl]

Sandals all the way!!! Go to a sporting goods store and try on a bunch. I think it is hot sweaty feet, rubbing against a sock that causes severe Disney misery! I happened to find my Rockport walking sandal at Marshalls for 16.00, but my family was not interested, they just wanted tennis shoes. They had them well broke in before Disney, and had two pairs for each person to switch around. They all had blisters and I was comfy! Our next trip will involve everyone getting sandals from the sporting good store.

There is a new style out that are running sandals, designed for long distance running. I think they are made by Ecco. I'll be looking into those for our next trip, even though they are about 100 bucks. To be blister free would be heavenly.....!!!!!

 

[PCgal]

For the life of me I can not remember what shoes I wore, but I know they were tennis shoes and a bit more expensive most likely nike, I also used the deodrant on my feet, I tried the moleskin but it just slid right off my feet. good luck and have fun.

 

[Tig]

New Balance for me. Series number 336. I love those shoes. BREAK THEM IN FIRST!

Also, I read if you change your socks, and use some type of Peppermint rub on your feet, it will help.

 

[cindala]

My vote goes with sandals..... Nike Straprunner II's. Very comfortable, and good also if you feet get wet.

 

[TLinden16]

I highly recommend the Rockport World Tour series of shoes. I had a pair of brown Rockport World Tour shoes that made it through three trips to Disney World, and at least three trips to New York City (where I walk almost as much as I do at Disney World).

The Rockport Prowalker sneakers are also great. They have some great light weight running shoes, too.

I have worn sandals in the parks (usually when I know I'll be going on wet water rides like Kali River Rapids, or the water rides at Islands of Adventure), but I find that I can't do that for more than one day at a time because of the lack of ankle support. If you have bad ankles, I wouldn't wear sandals at all.

I also prepare my feet each morning before I head to the parks. I know that when I do a lot of walking, there are certain areas of my feet that have the tendency to get blisters, so I cover those areas with mole skin prior to heading out for the day. I also carry precut pieces of moleskin to replace the moleskin I put on in the morning in case it gets wet.

And, I also believe that you should bring two pairs of shoes/sneakers on a trip. It's good to let the shoes breathe for a day, and that way you won't get stuck if your shoes get soaked on a ride or in a rainstorm. On our most recent trip, my cousin brought just one pair of sneakers for her and her son, and we got got in a rain storm. She put them in the dryer, and then had to use her hairdryer to finish drying them out. I don't think she'll ever go away without two pairs of sneakers again.

Karen

 

[Zurg]

What not to wear can be found at http://BadShoe.com the unfortunate footwear fo Walt Disney World