Choosing The Right Shoes for Touring Walt Disney World

My Dogs are Barking! When I first heard this expression , I wondered how anyone would know their dogs were barking back at the house when they were miles away. Since then, I've learned that "dogs" refer to your feet and "barking" means they are tired. Considering that the average person will walk eight to ten miles a day while touring the Disney Parks, it won't be long till your dogs are barking. Shoe and sock selections can be very important on helping you maintain healthy feet.

A Walk Once Around World Showcase Lagoon is 1.2 Miles
The first thing to decide is what type of footwear you are looking for. It's recommended you buy walking shoes and not running shoes. A person's natural stride when walking includes a rolling motion from back (heel) to front (toe). Running shoes do not provide the proper flex to accommodate this step. After purchasing your shoes, make sure you take the time to wear them for several days while inside the house. This break in period will help assure you have made the proper size purchase and help take the stiffness out of the new soles. The support in walking shoes are only good for about three to six hundred miles depending on the brand, material and the natural wear of your foot. The shoes you have this vacation may not be in good enough condition for the next vacation.

Be Sure to Break-in Your Walking Shoes
When you are out looking for shoes, make sure you bring with the same type of socks you will be wearing at Disney, so you can gauge the fit based on the thickness of your sock. I purchased athletic socks made specifically for walking which I found in the local department store sporting good section. While these socks were more expensive, running around $4.50 a pair, they provided extra material in the toe and heel areas to eliminate blisters.

Other items you might consider packing are extra band aids, anti friction control blister balm and a foot massage lotion. After a long day at the parks, a short, little foot rub from your partner could be heaven for tired feet.

Find Fun Socks at Downtown Disney's Little MissMatched
While it might seem hard to justify spending new money on walking shoes and socks for your whole family, consider it an investment in ensuring your vacation will be pain free from blisters and sore shins! And don't forget to check out our revive tired legs while traveling.

After all, if your "dogs" are content you'll be guaranteed to have a magical walking day at The World! What do you do to keep your feet pain free when you're at Disney World? Do you have a special brand or type of footwear that works for you? Share your comments below.

Thanks so much to Angie L. for another great guest post! For more of her Disney Tips head on over to our Member Forums and say hello.