Favorite shoes?

[ExcitedMama]

I was shocked how much my feet hurt when went to DL. My kids were little then too so I'm sure it will be even more running around this time and we are going for longer too. I have zero drop running shoes and I'm wondering if I need to switch to something with more cushioning. Any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[SteveMP]

If you really want the most comfortable walking shoes, get actual walking shoes. They are really confortable for walking, more so than anything else. But they are usually dorky looking. Reebok used to make some that didn't look too bad. Running ahoes aren't great for walking, but are usually ok as long as you have the right size and right arch etc. I tend to go with Merrel hiking shoes as kind of a middle ground that do pretty well.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I use Skechers GoWalks. They fit my feet perfectly and are the only shoes I have ever worn to DL that don't hurt my feet at all by the end of the day. I also love my Saucony kinvara 7 for my plantar faschiitis issues, though they aren't quite as comfy overall.

 

[squeezle]

You will likely get as many answer as there are feet!
Anyway, I really like the trail running shoes made by Brooks - I wear them for parks as well as hiking at home. I think the ones I have are the Ghost and Cascadia models.

Edit: I just remembered that Brooks has a shoe-finder questionnaire on their website.

 

[mpadilla89]

We all always take two pairs. I take a pair of nike and my converse. I know some people find the converse uncomfortable but i like my worn in ones. As long as I do not wear the same shoes everyday then I am ok. And if we go back to the hotel and come back at night or go DTD i might just wear my sandals. I guess that is 3 pairs.

I never take brand new shoes. I always make sure they have been worn a few times.

 

[22Tink]

I switch it up between my Skechers GoWalks, Sanuk flip flops and running shoes and socks. DH laughs because I take so many shoes but I use them all!

 

[Winnowill]

I definitely agree with the idea of taking a couple of different pairs. Switching shoes makes a HUGE difference.

 

[Frozen2014]

I'm having shoe issues at the moment and currently have 4 pairs to bring with me ...Sketchers performance flip flops, Teva Verra, Naot sandals, Merrell Terran sandals (all except the Teva are toe thong style sandals)

 

[sweethannah]

I wear the Kadee Crocs. Great on wet rides because they are easy to dry, you can rinse them out to freshen them up and are very light.

 

[gillep]

For me, switching up shoes each day, or within a single day if I go back to my resort, is the key to happy feet. I usually rotate between Skechers GoWalks and Nike comfort flip flops. This year I am going to add Tevas to the mix.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

At the parks I mostly wear my running shoes, which are Brooks Adrenaline shoes. They have more cushioning than a "neutral" running shoe.

I also sometimes wear Skechers Go Walk shoes, which are okay for me, and Keen shoes that are not the sandal type. Honestly, it rained for our trip this year and I mostly wore the running shoes and my feet felt great.

 

[Kender]

I usually end up just wearing my running shoes and it works well for me. Specifically I like New Balance Fresh Foam Boracay. They give me a decent amount of cushion and support.

I've tried walking shoes, but I've yet to find a pair I like that keeps me pain free all day like my Boracays.

 

[ktlm]

I've been wearing Bernie Mevs to DLR and WDW for years, and my feet never hurt even when we are in the parks from open to close. I also use Body Glide on my feet to avoid blisters, and have not had a blister from walking the parks since I started using it. I usually wear the Comfi open toe style in the summer months and the cuddly closed toe style for cooler temps in fall/winter. I've worn one of their sandal styles in the parks too and it worked, but I find I like the comfi style the best.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Yup...take at least two or three pair and switch to different shoes at least every day. That allows pressure points on your feet to relax a bit rather than working over the same sore spots over and over. I will change socks mid day as well if I have the opportunity.

A good athletic shoe makes a world of difference when you are on your feet all day vs something with less cushioning in the sole.

I am recent fan of New Balance.

 

[3monkeys4me]

I also tend to switch up my shoes, even changing them mid day sometimes if we take a break. I pretty much live in my Birkenstock mayari sandals so they tend to be my go to shoes. It has been years since we have done a Disney trip not in the summer time but for other trips where I am doing a lot of walking i switch between my favorite Nike running shoes and a pair of low ankle boots by Clarks. For summer trips, i use my Birkenstocks and then switch between whichever other sandals i bring. I have a pair of Keen sandals and a pair of Chaco sandals that I use if I need a shoe that is more secure on my foot. Other than that I use quality flip flops or slip on sandals pretty much all the time. I live on a tropical island so I rarely have a need for anything else at home.

 

[Pamela M]

Not sure if it's just me but the walking doesn't bother my feet it's the standing in line that kills. Like everyone else I agree with switching shoes. Last year I wore the Sketchers and the Keen sandals. This year I got a great pair of cushioning running shoes by Hoaka (very expensive) but they have tons of cushion.

 

[hedgehogdilemma]

Luckily, I've always been able to get away with just wearing Rainbow sandals. This year on our trip, I'm going to take my new Allbirds runners and see how they hold up in the hot weather.

 

[Niltiac]

Since you're already used to zero-drop, I recommend Altra. They make zero drop shoes with lots of cushion. Their trail running shoe is the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn, so I'm considering buying a second pair to wear in the city (so I don't wear down the tread on my actual trail shoes). I don't know if you're the same way, but I've found that now that I'm used to zero/low drop, the heels on standard running/walking shoes seem clunky and it's hard for me to coordinate my steps comfortably (specifically I tried a pair of Asics recently and I couldn't walk in a way that felt natural in them). But if you only wear zero drop for running, and wear standard shoes the rest of the time, you probably won't have that problem.

 

[deetman]

If it's warm enough, I always wear Olukai flip flops. They are amazing.

 

[ExcitedMama]

Thanks so much everyone! I only had the one pair last time so I'm hoping changing them everyday will help. I think I remember reading the same thing about letting running shoes recover and alternate pairs between runs but I've never done it. I really should get another pair to do that. I usually just wait until I should throw them out since they have no treads left. I actually didn't have a problem as far as walking or standing but they really started to throb, I'm not if it happened the first day or second, and then it just got worse from there. We are going a lot longer this time and my kids are older so I want to be prepared for all the running around.

Since you're already used to zero-drop, I recommend Altra. They make zero drop shoes with lots of cushion. Their trail running shoe is the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn, so I'm considering buying a second pair to wear in the city (so I don't wear down the tread on my actual trail shoes). I don't know if you're the same way, but I've found that now that I'm used to zero/low drop, the heels on standard running/walking shoes seem clunky and it's hard for me to coordinate my steps comfortably (specifically I tried a pair of Asics recently and I couldn't walk in a way that felt natural in them). But if you only wear zero drop for running, and wear standard shoes the rest of the time, you probably won't have that problem.

I'm very worried about how a regular shoe will feel! I only wear my zero drop ones for everything now and it's been years since I had a regular type of running shoe to wear so I am wondering if it will be too clunky. I haven't tried Altra. Are their trail shoes hard on the bottom? My Newton trail shoes are very hard on the treads so I don't like wearing them on paved surfaces, but I have no idea if that's true of all trail shoes.