How do you physically prepare to go to Disney World?

[strawberrygirl]

I know that I have heard of people suggesting different shoes etc to get ready for their trip to Disney but how do you physically prepare? Do you get your kids to walk a mile a day before you go? Do you start walking more??? and if so, how far ahead do you start to do this? I am thinking that i need to get in better shape before I go because my kids will wear out and then I will need to be physically strong for both of us. I am not in bad shape, and I am not overweight either, but it won't hurt for me to start excersizing more. I also have a problem when I get overtired and my body starts to get so I need to talk to the dr about that (maybe alot of Pepto Bismo while I am away)

Any ideas? I tend to over eat when I am away too (so much food and so little time ) and I have to start increasing my calories before I leave to get my tummy ready.

Just wondering........

 

[MSSANDRA]

I try to start a month or two before the trip and loose about 10 lbs so I do not have to watch what I eat while on vacation and I will not come back 10 lbs over my normal weight!

 

[tooh8ful]

I start taking the kids on walks in the spring as soon as the weather gets nice. We do SO much walking at WDW, it takes awhile to train and the fresh air and exercise don't hurt either.

 

[Serling126]

We have already started our Disney training for our trip in august My younger daughter and I walked to pick up my older daughter at school today instead of driving, 1.5 miles there and 1.5 miles back... no prob on the way there, but on the way back it got tough, especially when they were both loaded up in the double stroller!! The older one needs to practice her distance walking so I don't end up pushing her all week in Disney, and I need to work on my stamina so I can push her when she poops out

 

[RMulieri]

I don't prepare because I am all ready a fitness fanactic , but I get my DD ready by starting long walks about 6 months out

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

DH and I are both pretty active, so we've just been spending more time outside with DS (16mo old) practicing walking.

I know most people would laugh to read that, but we are in that magic window right at the beginning of toddlerhood. He's only been walking for a few months now, so we're focused on getting him to hold hands, stay close, stand and wait in line, listen and do what's asked, etc. We're up to walking about 2 blocks with him with no stops and hope to get him up to walking 8 blocks at a time before our trip in late April. He will be in a stroller some of the time, but I suspect he'll want to be walking and exploring on his own.

If you have a younger child, I'd also suggest getting them used to a lot of different environments and experiences as part of your preparation--movies in the theatre, seeing costumed characters, being in crowded places, knowing their address/mommy's name/phone number if they're old enough, talking about what to do if you're lost.

Have a great trip!

 

[littlbugmom]

I'm trying to lose some weight before our Nov trip but that's cuz I want to look even cuter in pics.


We'll start taking more walks to get the kids used to it. No hurry, though. We have all spring and summer to work on our "walking legs".

 

[MinnieVanMom]

I started at a little over the 2 month mark to get ready by building my endurance. I had done nothing all winter and needed to firm up. I work out each day for min. 30 min on the Wii doing aerobics, strength training and yoga.

I am also trying to incorporate and healthy eating style to our family dinners.
Toning up is important for that moment when I must shed the towel, show the suit and jump in the pool.

 

[Pumpkingirl7]

You can't! Be prepared for blisters and sore feet!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I walk on the treadmill on and off all year long. But, I really step it up about two months before the trip. We also get our son to walk on the treadmill while watching television.

Because we go during the Summer months, we also spend more time outside so that we can get acclimated to the hot weather.

 

[strawberrygirl]

I tried to get myself and the kids ready for Disney Land 3 yrs ago and I was not in good shape after having my baby. So I was really tired. But honestly, I don't know how I could have prepared my feet as PP said. They hurt and I took 3 different shoes along and this was just Disney Land, not World. I really have to get prepared this time around because the achey feet and legs are just, well, horrible. So, I had better do my best to be in shape, and there is the swim suit thing tooo I am sooo not looking forward to the pool aspect of it but I don't want to miss out either on the fun and give my daughter the wrong impression either.

Thanks

 

[simba20]

We went to Disney over President's Day weekend (Feb 13-16), and on our last day at EPCOT, while waiting for one of the friendship boats, I sat on the dock and told my husband "It's feels as though someone has taken my feet and slammed them repeatedly against the concrete." Oh wait, I did that myself, by walking. So I decided that when we came back home, I'd start walking.

wel, there were some delays, but I started walking last week. I'm not sure of my distance, but I am up to 2 laps on my "route" for about 40 minutes at a time. I can feel my legs getting stronger. Yesterday, I had a soreness like I do when we return to our resort for a break, but today I walked again and no soreness. I really need to figure out my distance.

I think in 2 weeks, I'll make my time limit an hour. That should be about three laps on my "route" (my neighborhood). I also went out and bought some new athletic shoes as my others are very old and non supportive, so I'll start walking in those in a few weeks to break them in, as they are the shoes I will take to Disney. When the weather gets a little warmer, I'll also start wearing my flip flops non stop when I am out and about running errands and such. Get my feet ready for wearing those around Disney too. last July, on our forst night we had dinner at the Poly and then decided to spend a few hours at MK. I forgot I had my flip flops on (went with my dinner outfit) and did somethign to my ankle. For the rest of the week, I had to wrap my ankle tightly to keep it supported even inmy tennis shoes. I had that self stick wrap, and by the end of the trip it was an all around bad combo -- self stick, heat, swelling. Luckily we had a dishpan with us (DD had been sick a week before out trip), so I was able to soak my feet whenever we came back to our hotel room. Definitely not happening again.

Just start walking, that's my best advice.

 

[DaniB]

When my husband & I decided 2 months ago to book our visit trip, I joined a casual in-home weight loss group. I decided if we were spending that much money, I am darn well going to lose weight! 50 lbs is my goal.

8 weeks later I'm down 15 lbs. Thankfully the trip isn't until the 2nd week of September, so hopefully I'll meet my goal!

After I dropped 10 lbs, my husband decided to join me and has lost 5 lbs. He only needs to lose 30 total perhaps.

Ugh - it's hard though. Today I taped pages of beautiful clothes I'd like to wear all over the kitchen.

The kids & I are used to walking 2 kms with no problem. However with the warmer weather I'm making everyone walk another 1-2 kms a night. And once school lets outs, I would like to get the kids & myself up to a solid hour of walking.

 

[kandemom]

I'm trying to lose some weight before our Nov trip but that's cuz I want to look even cuter in pics.
.

LOL! This is the reason for me starting the 30 day shred. Gotta look good in the pics, ill be posting them on facebook

 

[strawberrygirl]

We won't be going til April of 2011 (is that enough time to get ready) but we usually have winter til end of March (not this yr) so I will be wearing winter boots til the end of March so it is difficult to break in my shoes in such a short time afterwards. Trying to get a 4 yr old to walk alot isn't much fun either. But I do intend on firming up my tummy. Amazing what the thought of wearing a bathing suit in public will do to a person and I need to get my legs ready. I don't want to feel icky like I did last time. I gotta figure out what shoes to buy too because I will need to get those at the end of summer before the winter stuff comes in. It is also the exhaustion I have problems with tooo.

 

[kohlby]

I was going to get the kids walking before we went. Then we were hit with the coldest winter in about 50 years and it just wasn't possible. (I live in the southeast). We brought the stroller for the nearly 4 year old and the sling for the 11 month old, but the 6 year old had to walk. He did great!! We did 7 days of parks total and he did much better than I expected.

I workout at a gym so I wasn't worried about my endurance. My husband doesn't do traditional exercise but he's always doing yardwork and things around the house so he stays in shape. No one had any problems with the walking.

However, comfy shoes are a must! I did buy a pair of shoes to wear only to find out that they hurt my heels by the end of the second day. Luckily, I brought my older comfy shoes as well so I had a back-up plan.

*No one in my group had sore feet nor blisters. It likely helped that we didn't go during a warm time so our feet weren't sweating. I even managed carrying av 23 lb baby 8+ hours in a sling with no problems and I'm tiny. I always lose a few pounds due to all the walking regardless of eating in Disney.