Any advice on the most comfortable walking shoes to wear?

[cjcherry]

I am a newbie here...was wondering what type of shoes you all wear while in the parks....obviously something comfortable but good and cool. THanks sooo very much! cjcherry

[Itchy]

:welcome:

First thing first, welcome to intercot.

:welcome:

As for you question, I am a guy and I always wear tennis / athletic shoes when in the parks.:walk:

My personal preference are the New Balance brand. They will fit you for the proper size and there are a wide range of styles and prices as well.

Hope this helps.

7 days and counting till next visit.....:cheer::fworks:

[Missy_Mouses_Dad]

I too prefer New Balance. They seem to have a more varied selection and come in extra wide. Also, I would go with a light shoe (weight). Break them in before you go.

[Darbylew]

First of all welcome to Intercot. You will love it
here. :rocks::welcome:
I love Earth shoes and that is what I always
wear to WDW. I get the light weight ones.
They are great. :thumbsup:

[alaMode]

We like Birkenstock sandals that have been well broken-in (they mold to your feet and are very comfortable!) They are lightweight and easy to pack. DH wears his every day, but I like to bring 2-3 pairs of shoes to trade-off in case one pair starts bugging me!

I also like "Privo" by Clarks "athleisure" shoes. They look like chunky ballet flats, but they're super-supportive and bouncy! I usually wear closed-toe shoes to the parks because in my mind it's safer. I wear these on the plane--easy off/on for security and warmer for chilly plane ride. They also work for when I want to dress up a bit.

I always bring good quality flip-flops (more supportive) for the pool--easy to pack and I can also wear them to the park in a "pinch" (pun intended!)

Tess
Pop December 09

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

:welcome:

I think the most important shoe tip is to wear shoes that you've worn A LOT before the trip, that you know are broken in and really comfy.

For me and DD, that means our crocs (again, now our brand-new ones, but the ones we've been wearing all year). DH swears by his running shoes, so he goes with that.

If you have some extra money, the Ecco brand is just wonderful, they have the most comfy shoes, but they are expensive :(

[passholderryan]

My wife and I prefer New Balance. When I first started to take my wife (then Girlfriend) there, she would wear horrible shoes. Now we have a pair that are only for the World. With all the walking around, you have to have a good, light pair of shoes. We now play the "Check out the shoes that person is wearing" game. Its funny to see some of the shoes people wear, knowing that its 10am and they will be sore or with blisters by noon!!!!!

Also, take an extra pair, plus some Reef sandals for the pool. I prefer the Reef Mick Fanning model for the bottle opener on the bottom!!!!:beer::beer::beer:

[joonyer]

I think the most important shoe tip is to wear shoes that you've worn A LOT before the trip, that you know are broken in and really comfy.



:exactly::ditto:

Make sure you have walked in your shoes entensively before your trip to WDW. One year I bought a new pair of Reebok cross trainers specifically for our WDW vacation. They were very comfortable and supportive and felt great in the store, but I didn't wear them hardly any before arriving at WDW. Big Mistake! After the first day I had blisters (even with good socks) which made the rest of the trip pretty miserable. I ended up having to wear sandals, which while cool, didn't offer much support and my feet got very tired and sore every day.

Whatever shoes you choose, try them out and break them in before your trip.

[poohbearkris]

First, I would bring shoes with that you know are comfortable. That being said - I love the Crocs Cleo or Adara sandal. I have worn each one through the parks and have never had a problem. One DS just came back and wore her Cleo's for 12 hours a day without a problem. But my other DS who has a high instep, wore her Adara's and they didn't not have enough support. She had also brought a new pair of gym shoes with her which did not work out either. She ended up going to the Reebok outlet and finding the same pair of broken in gym shoes she had at home and bought those. I also love Birkenstocks which I wear at work as well as Dansko's - both pricey, but well worth the money.

[Lola's Mom]

I typically pack 2 pair of athletic shoes, a pair of flat sandals that I can dress up if needed, flip flops for the pool and crocs for those times we're shopping or just going into a park for an ADR.

Yes, I know this sounds like a lot of shoes for one trip, but I pack the 2 pair shoes so I can swap them out. This helps if you've developed a blister because it's not likely that the second pair will rub in the same place. It's also good if you get one pair wet. You have a full day to dry them out and don't have to wear damp ones. Damp shoes can cause all sorts of problems including blisters. I also recommend sticking the flip flops in the bag you take into the park. One of the first years we went, we got caught in a storm and our tennis shoes were soaked. The next year, I took the flop flops and when it started to rain, ducked into a store and changed them out. That way, no wet shoes! Once the rain stopped, I changed back into the tennis shoes.

I sold athletic shoes for 10 years. (It put me through college). The best advice is to make sure you get the shoes 4-6 weeks ahead of time. Go to an athletic store where they can properly fit you. It may cost more at first, but in the long run you'll be better off. Also, get good socks. If you need alot of cushioning, try Thor-Lo socks. They're excellent. Also, starting 4-6 weeks before the trip, take nightly walks. Start with a mile or so and build up. This will help break in the shoes, and build your stamina for the trip.

Hope this is helpful! Enjoy your first Disney Trip!

[BraddyB]

When we were there I switched between my Adidas running shoes and Foot Joy sandals. My wife swapped between her Reef and Crocs sandals. Whatever you wear make sure they are a quality made shoe that is broken in.

Tennis shoes are more of a preference, Lots of people wear Nike Shox, Adidas, and New Balance........try them all on and see what feels best on your foot ! Any of them would be fine there.

[cjcherry]

Thanks so much everyone! I have a pair of 3 year old reefs...that I LOVE...time for a new pair. We leave in 2 weeks so I will try to break what I get in enough....I appreciate all your replies. cherry

[disneyluva]

Sneakers for the kids and dads. However, I did all of Disney in Croc Capri flip flops this March and never had a back ache, shin splints, or blisters - which were previous Disney issues with myself. Also, any Merrell shoe is fantastic. I, as a mom, just felt that Merrell mules and Croc flips were cuter and much cooler (lots of ventilation) than sneakers. My Nike airs still made the trip with me, but I honestly didn't wear them more than once. My brother in law also swore by his crocs the entire week!

[Bellerella]

We now play the "Check out the shoes that person is wearing" game. Its funny to see some of the shoes people wear, knowing that its 10am and they will be sore or with blisters by noon!!!!!


Oh, we did that too! There was this girl staying at our resort- we always saw her in wedge heels!

Anyway, this past trip I purchased some Teva's... they were lightweight and very comfy! A little pricy, but well worth it!

[elmjimmlm]

I have a pair of Nike Shox and I love them...I wore them new in Dec. at Disney and had some heel pain but they are now broke in and I love them and wear them every where I go...

[Belster]

:welcome:

Welcome to Intercot!!!!!

When we go to WDW we bring Crocs and that is it...we have done this our past two trips and have been very happy.

Enjoy the planning!!!

[LoriSan]

I commit a major fashion blunder and wear crocs with socks. If I wear sneakers, I get blisters on my toes. The crocs give me support and my toes lots of room, but if I walk all day in them, the skin on the soles of my feet starts to get all torn up from the rubber. Socks take care of that. So I look like a dork, but I can go all day. Only in Disney :mickey:

[WelshieLover]

A lot of people like to wear sneaker/tennis shoes to WDW. I find them too warm. I bring a pair but won't wear them everyday. I find a really comfortable pair of broken in leather sandals best. My preferred brand is Bass. I have few pairs that are my favorites and will bring a couple of them with me on our trips. What I like about them is they can look dressed up with the right outfit. Unlike crocs, Birkenstocks or Tevas which pretty much look casual although they are comfortable. Everyone has their own preferences go with what you like and bring about 3 pairs so you can switch around.

[megustamex]

Just make sure your running shoes or whatever type of athletic shoes you bring aren't too old. I made the mistake of bringing 6 month old running shoes once, and they really had no support left by then (I do work out regularly). I had pain in my feet every night of the trip. So now I bring a new pair that I wear for 1- 2 weeks before. It really did the trick the last time. I wore them every day with no foot pain at all.

[PittFan]

I used to say that I would never be caught dead in a pair of Crocs ... that all changed last trip. On our second day of a 12 day trip, as I was leaving Maelstrom, the man behind me stepped on my sandal as I was lifting my foot. Needless to say the strap broke and couldn't be repaired. :( I tried to purchase a new pair of sandals and couldn't find them ANYWHERE ... even DTD didn't carry them. I reluctantly purchased a pair of Crocs and wish I had done so sooner !!!! They were the most comfortable, breathable, water resistant pair of footwear I have ever owned. I swear by them. :thumbsup:

[swampfox28]

I always used to swear by New Balance tennis shoes - they fit my feet well and I could find them at Marshalls (a discount retailer) for under $40.

However, I lucked into finding out about some clearance shoes on the Teva website (Teva is a higher end shoe company that seems to focus on mostly "outdoorsy" shoes with a few other types in for style).

Now some of their styles are WIERD, but a few are REALLY cute, but always had been out of my price range (around $100 for a pair of tennis shoes). But the clearance shoes were the cutest I'd ever seen by them AND were a smidgen under $20 (!!!!!!!)

Oh, and I had a free shipping code, too! :cloud9:

I resisted the urge to order 6 pairs at that price in case I didn't like them, ordered one, and waited.

They came in and they are the BEST tennis shoes I've ever had - light as a feather and fit my feet PERFECTLY. I think they were an X-1 Accelerator, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, I'd order 4 more pairs, but I don't see them anymore on the website.

But, if you could try a pair of Tevas or Merrills (again, DISCOUNT RETAILER!!), I'd vote for them. I've often thought, "How could a pair of shoes be WORTH $100!?" - but these I just got TOTALLY are.

I can't WAIT to wear them at WDW!


-Sarah

[mousetrapper]

I love Crocs because they are so easy to put on and take off, plus they're waterproof. I wore them our last trip - but I got a big blister on my left heel that really hurt! The Crocs also make your feet sweat if it's super hot.

Not sure what I'll wear the next trip. I'm thinking of getting a pair of Keens with the toe cover and alternating between those and the Crocs.

I just have to have something waterproof. I've worn sneakers before and then gotten them wet - no fun walking around in wet shoes all day!