All that walking...

[Tbiafore]

Each trip we average around 17,000 steps per day for our trip to Disneyworld. Around the 90-day mark before our trip, we have a family challenge to try and get in shape to handle all that walking.

I am interested to hear what do others do (if anything) to get into shape for your Disney Trip?

 

[o&smom]

Each trip we average around 17,000 steps per day for our trip to Disneyworld. Around the 90-day mark before our trip, we have a family challenge to try and get in shape to handle all that walking.

I am interested to hear what do others do (if anything) to get into shape for your Disney Trip?

We just suck it up and walk! No preparing.

 

[SteveAZee]

Time on the the treadmill... fast walking.

 

[Miffy]

Someone I travel with (who shall remain unnamed) often does zero in preparation for trips. This is not a good idea.

Please, fellow WDW lovers, don't think you can get in shape a week ahead of time. It's impossible unless you're either already in excellent shape and/or do a tremendous of daily walking in your everyday life.

And that goes double in the heat. Or maybe triple.

Although I have to say that 17K steps in a day happens for me only when I park-hop. If not, my step count is more on the order of 13K or 14K a day.

 

[mort1331]

approx 30 days out,,,I start increasing my alcohol intake. At 7 days out I start mixing up drinks. This gets me and my liver ready for drinking around the world.
Also helps numb the pain of how much money I am spending.
Hope this helps others.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I live in NYC, Land of Walking with Packages.
We are always ready for WDW

 

[Skywalker3]

The last few trips, I did not properly prepare, and wow, was I extra sore. Extra tired, hurting feet, knees, legs, all of it. I am most definitely going to make sure to start getting in some steps before our October trip. Hopefully I'll be back on a regular exercise routine anyway. I've been off of one for too long now.
I typically average about 24,000 steps each day. We often stay at Boardwalk, and choose to walk to/from Epcot and HS, and park hop daily, but the last 2 trips that included HHN at Universal, were over 30,000 steps, and that was BAD! I could barely walk after that.

 

[MinnieMSue]

The last few trips, I did not properly prepare, and wow, was I extra sore. Extra tired, hurting feet, knees, legs, all of it. I am most definitely going to make sure to start getting in some steps before our October trip. Hopefully I'll be back on a regular exercise routine anyway. I've been off of one for too long now.
I typically average about 24,000 steps each day. We often stay at Boardwalk, and choose to walk to/from Epcot and HS, and park hop daily, but the last 2 trips that included HHN at Universal, were over 30,000 steps, and that was BAD! I could barely walk after that.

YesHHN especially after a day in the parks is brutal. Only time I ever felt dead after walking. Especially since the next day we did a 6 house tour then stayed in parks and did another HHN night. I think I just gave in to the agony. Never toured the parks again before HHN. That event is tops for walking for us - way more steps than a Disney park day.

 

[msmayor]

I am 62 years old and try to get in a 20 minute walk at lunchtime each day at work, if the weather is cooperative (i.e. not pouring rain). I average anywhere from 4,000-7,000 steps a day.

I was in Orlando for business last week and stayed a couple extra nights to get one day at Epcot...I made the most of it and was at the gate at 7:45am for rope drop, and walked out of the park at 9:45pm at the end of the night - no midday break.

My one day at Epcot, I walked 26,968 steps....12.3 miles. I wore Brooks sneakers, Bombas socks and use athletic tape to keep any hot spots from forming. I drank 7-8 bottles of water over the course of the day.

Walking regularly certainly helps prepare, but as you can see I don't walk a ton of steps a day. Good socks and shoes and adequate hydration are probably the most important thing.

Yes, I was glad to get back to the hotel to shower and get my feet up, but I can tell you that in the morning I had no issues doing the walking I needed to through MCO to get home. Another 10,000 steps that day.

 

[windcriesamy]

I tend to walk 10-15,000 steps at work every day, so no prep needed!

 

[robinb]

No prep for me … my right knee is bad so I ride a scooter.

 

[Disney Addicted]

My treadmill broke early winter so I hardly walked at all, and I sit at a computer all day 5 days a week. Some girlfriends and I are going to Quebec in July and I KNOW there will be 2 days of walking from sunrise to sunset. Plus Disney in September. So a month ago I started walking outside, trying for 30 minutes a day, as fast I can walk. Once my son has his driver's license (and it will be warmer), I'll go out morning and night for 30 minutes each.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I don’t do anything to prepare. I should go to the gym. Maybe someday that will actually happen but for now it’s about minimizing the body stress on the trip since I’m not in great shape.

Stretch the legs every night before sleeping.

Foot lotion of choice or Biofreeze if swelling (but I hated the scent of the overnight version).

Foot Glide. Amazon- or maybe a sport retailer near you as runners use it. Freaking magic. Every time you put your shoes on give your feet a quick wash prior and apply Foot Glide to the whole foot. Since I started that I haven’t had a single blister. I gave some to someone who only applied it to problem foot areas and still got a blister- WHOLE foot is important.

Splurge on a couple rideshares. AK is my fav for that as rideshares are practically closer than buses.

A fam member does a dose of 50mg CBD oil each night, no THC. It has really helped her with foot swelling- but everyone’s dosage is different so finding the right level can be hard. (Not cheap stuff, she uses lab tested to assure no THC.)

 

[NYCgrrl]

Good socks and shoes and adequate hydration are probably the most important thing.

Agreed. This is really important. When visiting WDW 2 pairs of walking footwear are needed.This allows one pair to dry out from a day’s use while you wear the other.

 

[easyas123]

We just suck it up and walk! No preparing.

approx 30 days out,,,I start increasing my alcohol intake. At 7 days out I start mixing up drinks. This gets me and my liver ready for drinking around the world.
Also helps numb the pain of how much money I am spending.
Hope this helps others.

My People!

Honestly we don't really prepare in anyway, outside of the usual physical activity we engage in regularly.

 

[ars0525]

Honestly it's not the walking for me as much as the just standing that gets me. Walk to a ride, stand in line, walk a few steps, stand, repeat. Good shoes is a must now! I have no idea how I used to do open to close in crummy $1 flip flops

 

[princessjilly]

I read this post last night so today I felt inspired to start getting some extra steps in. I usually do 6-8k a day but I’m going to aim for between 12-15k a day until I leave (6 weeks today woohoo). Also need to start taking my turmeric supplement again, it’s good for joints.

 

[KPeterso]

About a year ago, I started walking more. This was more for my health than anything else. I started at 30 minutes a day and have been increasing ever since. I now typically do around 11-13K steps per day. The positive - walking at Disney does not bother me much at all anymore.

 

[dizneegirl]

DH tries to get us in "Disney shape" - we go out on the hottest days and walk through a festival, or on a walking trail. We park the furthest out from any store or restaurant we might be at. We hike down to our pond and back. We sweat a lot, and walk as much as we can starting a couple of months out from a trip.

 

[AdamsMum]

I'm 67, no particular training in my world. However, I walk the dog 20 minutes-3 times a day, and I go to fitness classes at the local community centre 4 days a week. Still, with arthritis in my hip, I feel the pain. I always take a naproxen in the morning when I'm at home, but it's when I'm at Disney, I take it on the 12 hour rotation. No arguing that WDW is a gruelling vacation. Thank goodness, I'm retired and can rest when I get home.