All that walking~shoes?

[Family Fun Mom]

While I am a girl, I am not big time into shoes. However, after dealing with blistering feet on my last Disney trip, I am looking for some suggestions for a good pair of shoes so that doesn't happen again.

I have a tall order: my feet are short and wide. I need something that comes in small sizes yet wide widths. I need comfort, big time. I would prefer sandals, but not the non strap kind, I want something that will stay on. I would like something I can wear without socks in the August heat. Oh, and I don't have hundreds to spend.

I have a pair of Crocs Shutes that I wear all of the time. Love them. I'm just not sure how they'd fare in the parks. Any suggestions?

 

[wdwfan1]

I also have small, wide feet, and I always wear crocs at WDW. I have taken both the beach and cayman and they are wonderful. No foot problems while wearing them.

 

[Inignotlover]

I have some real tempermental feet. I brought insoles and my comfiest of walking shoes and enough moleskin to cover my entire body. The crocs combined with the moleskin saved my trip. Highly recommend it.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Lots of people love crocs. I don't have a pair but have a pair of clogs that are very similar, only they aren't vinyl or whatever crocs are. They are quite comfortable. I quit wearing sandals to Disney YEARS ago because they weren't enough support walking that much. Now I wear my New Balance (walking shoes) and can go all day without discomfort or blisters. Everyone has different opinions and different foot problems. It depends on you and what's comfortable. My very first trip to WDW in 1982 I wore the thin soled leather thongs (very much in style then) and had no problems. If I did that now, I wouldn't be able to walk after an hour!

 

[bdcp]

Running shoes with good socks. I've never gotten a blister wearing socks and shoes, only when wearing sandals rubbing against bare feet. People who get blisters wearing tennis shoes are wearing too thin of socks and too large of shoes.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Crocs can be good for short-term (pool, water rides), but they can also be problematic with all day walking - plus it is possible to stub them and trip.

I'd also say classic Birkenstock-type sandals can be bad for toe-stubbing. I've done those too at WDW, and found them good, but you can really hurt your toe in places. Like if someone lets go of a door on your foot.


I really suggest having two pairs of great shoes. I always make a point to alternate shoes at WDW. Never had blisters.

Your first pair should be slghlty broken in runnig shoes. Find a running store - even if you have to look online. Not a place like FootLocker a store for RUNNERS. They will watch how you walk and look at your foot shape and give you the best advice. Plus, I paid half as much for shoes there!
Even though you plan to walk, you still will get running shoes.

My current pair of sandals are Teva's. Tehy aren't perfect, but they are pretty comfy. Before that I had some from Clark's that were great, but last year I didn't see the ones I like. Some of their shoes run narrow. The sandals were sort of like Birkenstocks but better. If you REALLY want great stuff - look for somethign German. They are sandal GODS! But you'll probably have to pay for them!

Last, I highly suggest a product called moleskin. Cheap and very effective if you do get a blister or something. ( I had a bad cut on my ankle once)

 

[jngwright]

I have been hesitating on bringing my Crocs, so I decided to try them on the March of Dimes WalkAmerica today (8 miles) and they were great. I am bringing them on our trip for sure now. I also ordered a pair of Tevas I am hoping will work...

 

[Pakey]

Averaged about 10 miles a day on last trip (wore pedometer) and those crocs kept my feet smiling and singing for 7 days straight.

 

[pixie08]

I either wear crocs (but the flip flop style called athens) or my running sneakers (I have a pair of new balance and a pair of asics I love).

 

[Tam1067]

For all day in the parks, we always wear good running shoes, or DH and I both have some Merrill hiking shoes we like. No one in our group (there are 5 of us) has ever had a blister. I know the idea of gym shoes with socks is hot and not the coolest looking thing (I refuse to wear those anywhere but when I'm running or in WDW), but they work amazingly well.

For short trips in the evening, the kids wear Crocs and DH and I like our Nike Celso flip flops, but we don't wear them all day when we'll be walking for miles.

 

[I'mAlittleBitGoofy]

I have some real tempermental feet. I brought insoles and my comfiest of walking shoes and enough moleskin to cover my entire body. The crocs combined with the moleskin saved my trip. Highly recommend it.

Hmmm,this must be what my mistake was. I bought crocs months ahead of time and broke them in. They were great, until I wore them in the parks! I got blisters on the souls of my feet. That never happened to me before. What is moleskin and how do you use it?

 

[SammieG]

i now only take crocs on a disney trip ....

I spent years travelling into shoe shops on vacation trying to find ANYTHING for my sore feet.. and Crocs i can honestly say are the only shoes I have ever found that are comfortable for me...

 

[kgibbler20]

I really like skechers. My mom does too. I just don't think that they are really cut well for a truly wide foot. New balance is a great shoe also and is naturally cut wider. My mom also really like sandals in a generic WalMart brand called Earth something. That brand makes sandals with a cloth insole which I find that a cloth insole keeps my feet from slipping like they do in a smooth insoled sandal.

 

[chirurgeon]

I also have wide feet. I have found that Ryka athletic shoes and sandals are great. I get them from QVC. They have a great variety. I have also found when you have wide feet buying shoes from shoe catalogs can be the best way to get shoes that fit. They aren't inexpensive, but sometimes you get what you pay for. I like FootSmart and Maryland Square.

Kim

 

[srwarden1928]

DW & I would not wear anything other than athletic shoes--walking or running shoes--in ANY theme park, especially the Disney ones. DW is diabetic and VERY careful about her feet. Blisters could be serious for her. She always laughs at people who wear sandals & flip flops at places like Disney. She has VERY critical things to say about parents who allow their children to do so. She has said that it is neglectful. When our neice was small we were often the adults who took her to theme parks. While she loved her flip flops, DW would not permit her to wear them to a park. It was sneakers or dont go.

 

[gatorfreud]

I wore my crocs scutes for 9 days in WDW last year and my feet were so happy!

 

[kellig]

Not so much advice on brands/types of shoes, but I shopping from www.zappos.com since they have a HUGE selection with free shipping on delivery and returns. They have a good variety of shoes in all widths, etc.

 

[5 for WDW]

We also wear a really good pair of running sneakers while in the parks.

My kids love their New Balance sneakers. My husband favors his Asics and I switch in between my New Balance and Asics.
I just had my 4th knee surgery two weeks ago so, good supportive sneakers are a must for me. When I think about all of the issues I have with my knee, I make sure the kids are wearing them too.

I bring a good pair of sandals for walking to the pool and my kids bring their Crocs. But, they are only for the resort. I actually have a pair of Crocs for the beach and yard work but, I don't think they are very comfy at all. I guess I am the oddball there, lol.

 

[nytimez]

I always wear Birkenstocks. And I always end up with blisters. Maybe I should rethink this...

 

[Bev J]

I used to be a big Birkenstock fan, I have 5-6 pair of them. Well they were fine for around the house or day to day wear. But then I wore them to WDW and got horrible blisters on the bottoms of my feet, my legs hurt and so did my back. There is just no cushion on birks and they just were not good for WDW walking.
Lucky for me my son had brought his Crocs and we wore the same size. He was wearing his other shoes and had the Crocs for pool use so I started wearing them. I put moleskin (cushy bandaid type stuff you cut to size and stick it to the blister or hot spot,you can find it in the foot care isle) on the blister and wore his crocs with short socks. After a day or two the blisters were much better, my legs and back were not sore anymore. I am a convert now.
I can't wear athletic shoes due to a broken toe in the past- they just kill my feet.
I have Cayman Crocs and also Cleo sandles (also Crocs) bring both on my WDW trips and switch back and forth. My feet are very happy. I do sometimes wear the very short socks with the Cayman's cause sometimes those nubs bug my feet or my feet sweat in that Florida humidity.
If your used to wearing Crocs then bring them along, but always have a backup shoe/sandle because even something well broken in can turn on you...
My DH has a pair of Keens sandles, he really likes them alot. They are like wearing an athletic shoe but without all the heat inducing canvas- and have good toe coverage, but they are not cheap around $100 a pair but he has worn his for 3 summers now, including 2 trips to WDW and they are hardly worn and will hold up well when wet.

Bev