How much walking is there REALLY?

[Ken_Breadbox]

We're heading into the World next month. I haven't been since '84--and that was a whirlwind MK visit--and DW hasn't been at all. I keep reading horror stories about having to walk your feet off in the parks. This puzzles me. I've checked the acreage online and each of the parks compares in area to my home amusement park (Canada's Wonderland)...somewhere between 300-400 acres. That doesn't strike me as a whole heck of a lot of walking...two, maybe three miles a day? What am I missing?

 

[snowy76]

You might be underestimating how much there is to do at each park as well as the layouts. You're likely to be criss-crossing the parks all day to fit in the most attractions. Plus, there's the walking at the resorts (if you're staying onsite), parking lots, etc.

Also, just standing in queues all day, you're going to be on your feet much more than the typical person is in one day.

I don't doubt that the parks are comparable in size to CW (and I think CW is bigger than most parks), but now imagine you visit CW every day for a week from about 8 in the morning to 11 at night. Then you start to get an idea.

ETA: I think some folks here on the DIS have used a pedometer or something similar and logged about 10 miles per day, if I remember right.

 

[GrammyJudy]

I have read the average person walks 7-9 miles a day at WDW thus I rent an ECV as my old knees can't do it anymore.

 

[indimom]

You might be underestimating how much there is to do at each park as well as the layouts. You're likely to be criss-crossing the parks all day to fit in the most attractions. Plus, there's the walking at the resorts (if you're staying onsite), parking lots, etc.

Also, just standing in queues all day, you're going to be on your feet much more than the typical person is in one day.

I don't doubt that the parks are comparable in size to CW (and I think CW is bigger than most parks), but now imagine you visit CW every day for a week from about 8 in the morning to 11 at night. Then you start to get an idea.

I agree. It's more the repeated days of visiting the parks that wears you down. Most anyone can manage a day or two easy, but when you do the same thing for a week or more, it can get tiring and hard on your feet.
I have never clocked my mileage in the parks, but have read numerous reports on here and they average about 10-12 miles a day usually.
We stayed 14 days this year. I did great until about day 10, then started to get a sore spot on the back of my heal. Slapped some moleskin on it and had no problem getting through our last four days.

 

[bellemeeko1]

I always wondered just how many steps we took during each day at each park, so this time Im wearing a pedometer.....

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I averaged about 19k steps a day. I have a friend who hit around 20k.

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Thanks...wow. We're staying onsite (OKW) for a week, and we have a day off scheduled midway through on which we're not planning to leave the resort other than for a dinner ADR. We also planning on resting where needed in the afternoons. Still, I guess we better start training.

 

[leebee]

HI, I'm Leebee, and I'm a couch potato! (Everyone responds "Hi Leebee!")

OK, truly I am a couch potato, and an overweight, out-of-shape couch potato at best (think of me as the one will ALL the toppings; truly a stuffed potato!). USUALLY when we go to WDW, I am DONE after day 1. No, that doesn't stop me, I keep going, but my feet, knees, legs, and back are usually VERY unhappy with me for the remainder of our trip (usually 6 days). This year, I scheduled 10 days in WDW followed immediately by a full day at Six Flags New England. There is NO WAY I wanted to have swollen, sore feet and calves for the whole trip; how much fun is that? I started a miniwalking regimen in mid-July, about a month before our trip. Here were my rules:
On the days I had to work in the morning (M/T/W), I walked one mile. ONly one mile, 1/2 mile out and 1/2 mile back. On the other two week days, I could walk as much (about 1.75 miles) as I wanted, but had to do the "usual" mile. On Saturdays, Sundays, and rainy days, I didn't have to walk at all. These were my own rules, and rules I could stick with. I ended up usually doing a mile a day, 5 days a week, and guess what? I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH MY FEET, KNEES, LEGS OR BACK AT ALL !!! This is the first time EVER, in 20+ trips, that I haven't been extremely uncomfortable or in outright pain every time I walked, by the end of day 1. No problem standing in lines, waiting for the bus, standing on the bus, or even walking back to my resort room, which was on the backside of the 50's building, on the long corridor that sticks out (sort of like a back wing, with no rooms on either side facing a pool). I was ASTOUNDED! I like my new strength so much that I am continuing to walk at least three mornings a week before school, or will until it snows or freezes me out (precipitation isn't on my list of rules!).

SO... You CAN make it through Disney, with minimal training. I did! and I never thought I'd EVER be able to say that!

 

[hsmamato2]

at OKW itself....you'll be walking- that place is BIG! we love it there, but unless you're right next door to the pool,you''' get plenty of healthy exercise!
BTW, we love walking in our family,my DH says it's the standing times that wear his feet out, I agree with him! you'll be criss-crossing,walking here and there,basically going with the crowd control paths laid out.....
but you can always slow down and take a break if you need to,it's not like running a marathon or anything

 

[rs505]

I realize you are going in the fall, and I don't know the climate that you are generally used to, but on top of the walking, it is hot in Florida compared to where we are from (Philadelphia, PA).

So, if we were walking probably 4-5 miles a day at WDW, we also had to contend with the heat. We went in August, so it's really hot, but even if you go in the fall, I would assume it will be warmer at WDW than where you are.

Plus, don't forget that you may be pushing a stroller with a kid or kids in it. We also have "stuff" to carry.

I would say get out a good pair of sneakers now, and start walking. I know it helped me.

 

[Raenstoirm]

20k steps a day- ha!

Day 1- 39042 steps- 18.5 miles (in MK 11:30 to 3:30am)
Day 2- 15331 Steps- 7.3 miles (slept in till 11-in park till midnight)
Day 3- 24038 steps- 11.4 miles
Day 4 -21121 steps- 10 miles
Day 5- 24161 steps- 11.4 miles
Day 6- 31017 steps- 14.7 miles
Day 7- 26789 steps- 12.7 miles
Day 8- 31870 steps- 15.1 miles
Day 9- 15364 steps- 7.3 miles (had to fly home)

 

[gstew24]

you will walk alot and stand alot i always start walking at home to get into shape

 

[LMO429]

I heard the average person walks 5 to 9 miles a day at disneyworld.

 

[OB1]

This is very neat. I have wanted to take a pedometer with me. We don't tour wide open any more, but we do move around. Just walking to parking lots, to trams, from trams to entrances, around the parks, out to eat, and all the returns to the car - it all adds up. We usually park hop, so double the entrance & exit walking. But almost 40K steps your first day. WOW.

20k steps a day- ha!

Day 1- 39042 steps- 18.5 miles (in MK 11:30 to 3:30am)
Day 2- 15331 Steps- 7.3 miles (slept in till 11-in park till midnight)
Day 3- 24038 steps- 11.4 miles
Day 4 -21121 steps- 10 miles
Day 5- 24161 steps- 11.4 miles
Day 6- 31017 steps- 14.7 miles
Day 7- 26789 steps- 12.7 miles
Day 8- 31870 steps- 15.1 miles
Day 9- 15364 steps- 7.3 miles (had to fly home)

 

[LiteninPrincessa42]

I am leaving for the world in 3 days! WOOHOO! I started going to the gym in April in prep for this trip. I was so tired last year when I went that I was determined to be in better shape for all the walking. Once I started, my workouts kinda snowballed. I have lost 25 lbs., built muscles and reduced my BMI! I can't wait to go next week and take a picture in front of the castle to compare to last year! I have been walking an average of 7 miles a day, 5 days a week, so I hope that I will have no issues this year!

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

We're from southwestern Ontario, Canada--looking at the weather obsessively (as all Canadians do) I see nothing there that terrifies me. Yes, it'll be hot and humid in Orlando in October--about what it is here in July. The only real issue is the nighttime low, which remains stubbornly, ridiculously hot. But I figure that's what air conditioning is for, right?
My DW, on the other hand, absolutely HATES the heat. She is hot at any temperature above absolute zero and can (HAS) sunburned in the rain. So we're taking counteractive measures out the wazoo: sunscreen; "sun-brella" (ordered special from Phoenix, AZ, and let me tell you, Canadians don't know what to make of anybody using an umbrella when there isn't a cloud in the sky); camelback; cold-packs; portable fan; special sun-blocking hat; you name it.
Other than ADRs, we don't HAVE to be anywhere, anywhen. So if we get tired/overheated, we take a break. I was just surprised at how much walking is actually involved...

 

[khertz]

I know someone already mentioned it, but in addition to all the time spent walking, there can be a lot of time spent standing in one place, like in ride queues or on some tours of the park. My feet had been holding up well on our 10 day trip, but on day 9, DH and I did an early morning KTTK tour, and all of the standing in one place to listen to the guide was just KILLING my feet after a week of walking on them so much! Even if you are only in a ride line for 20 minutes, some load slow so you are still standing in one place quite a bit.

 

[dmccarty]

Last trip my phone pedometer said I walked 6-12 miles a day.

But lets put that into perspective. We get up early to get to the parks at RD. We generally leave the parks after 4-6 hours. Six hours in the parks is pushing it I would think. We leave when the kids get cranky which as they get older happens later and later in the day.

Last trip I went back to EPCOT a few times to eat since it was F&W so that added to the mileage.

But at EPCOT we use the boats to reduce our walking since our group has some people who have problems walking. At MK we almost always take the train back to the front of the park.

Since we have people who cannot walk far or fast I will do the "running" to get FPes to save their legs which does boost my mileage a bit.

I think people who spend all day in the parks can walk quite a bit farther than I do. I would guess spending a day at the parks would get you to at least 12-15 miles.

The DW and I go to WDW to have fun, watch the kids have fun, and to EAT. We hit our favorite restaurants and try to go to a new place every trip. F&W is just a piggy heaven for us. WE EAT ALOT at WDW.....

Last trip I lost a couple pounds.

Later,
Dan

 

[Vivianne]

I see you haven't gone since '84.

You have alot of catching up to do...or...alternate a park every other day,
if you have the time.

If not, wear your most comfortable walking shoes and start practicing now.

 

[carrie1626]

I started walking with my DD about 10 weeks before our vacation. My sister did too. I was already a treadmill walker but not very faithful!!


We've all been to WDW many times, so the # was not a surprise.

ALL I can say is- it was worth the effort to prepare ourselves.

The parks themselves are one thing- then add in the distances from the resort room to the bus stops/car, and the distance from the drop-off point/parking lots/ it's more than you realize when you're planning at home.