Are those new light weight tennis shoes good for Disney walking?

I love my minimalist sneakers BUT had a major fail on my last trip to WDW. I had a pair of the VERY minimalist New Balance minimus shoes. They were my absolute favorite Disneyland shoes because they were super lightweight and airy. They had mesh on the sides and were very cool on hot days. Some people wear them without socks but I hate sneakers without socks so I always wore them with socks. I wore them to Disneyland many many times (annual passes) and was always happy so naturally I took them to WDW last September.
They were a disaster at WDW. Two minutes into my first morning at Magic Kingdom my feet were soaked to the bone. My husband was wearing normal sneakers and his feet were perfectly dry but my socks would be soaked even if there was just a wet sidewalk (which was every second of that week). It never rains at Disneyland so I didn't realize how the water would get in the shoes so easily. My feet were wet for an entire week. I had to throw the shoes out on the day we left.
So whatever you get, make sure they have enough of a sole for the rain. I now have the sketchers Go Runs and I like them a lot and stay dry in them.
 
No matter what shoes you bring, I would highly suggest Body Glide. It looks like deodorant and can be purchased at sporting goods stores (like Dick's). You rub it on anywhere you would get chafing or blisters. I have flat feet and tend to get pretty bad blisters when breaking in new shoes, but now I use Body Glide all over my feet and never get them anymore! It's a lifesaver. I use it just about every day now and am DEFINITELY taking it to Disney. I have to say, thank you to the person who brought this product up on the Dis - I had my doubts at first ... but it really is awesome! :thumbsup2
 
I wear new balance running, except this last time the sizing was off. I wear nines, but had to get the 9 1/2 and they never felt right. I have flat feet and my knees hurt if my shoes aren't right!

I bought a pair of gowalk2's that tie right before a trip to Williamsburg. We also went to BG. I LOVE them. So comfortable and nothing hurts even after walking all day for 3 days.

Less is definitely more for me.
 

....putting away Go Walks. That's awful! hope you feel better

Our feet all react differently to different shoes. Just because one person had horrible issues with Go Walks doesn't mean you will. You have to find what is comfortable for you.

I always bring at least 2 pairs of shoes to use at WDW. If we go back to the room for a break, I will switch before heading back to the parks. And as ugly as they may be, the Mickey Head Crocs are still one of my packed pairs of shoes. For me they are very comfortable.
 
that's true. I'm thinking of packing my Go Walks instead of a pair of sandals since every time I've brought sandals I've never worn them to the parks.
 
Do you have the style name?

The winter style (warmer and more waterproof, but still fine for year-round wear) is WT20. The summer style, which is very breathable and fast drying but does allow water to flow in rather freely as another poster mentioned, is WT10 and they're currently on v3 (3rd generation).
 
I have a bad toe nail so my summer go-to shoes, Fit Flops, aren't an option. I've switched over to Nike Free 5.0 Fit Tr 4 for Busch Gardens, timing at swim meets, and long walks in the neighborhood. I don't think I could go back to a regular sneaker. I think Nordstrom has them on their anniversary sale. I got mine from Sports Authority with 15% off the sale price and free shipping both ways (if they don't fit).
 
I like New Balance, Saucony, and Asics. BUT, get the right size and width. If you get blisters on your little toes, you might need a wider size. I have to get wide shoes. And because I broke my little toe 2 years ago, I even have to be more careful on the fit. (I sort of need the soft meshy fabric where the shoe hits the little toe, not any leather/vinyl trim. Because that toe sticks out a little but now, lol). Needless to say, I have trouble buying most shoes.

I am usually stuck with buying online, to get the ones I like, because stores only carry a few choices in wide. I use Zappos, Shoebuy, etc. Sometimes even Kohls. The shoe sites have free return shipping. I like the lightweight running shoes, they breathe well, so my feet do not get hot, like they do in all leather walking shoes.

The other consideration is how your foot is structured. I have a very high arch and instep, which now causes me trouble. This means that I am an underpronator, or supinator. Some running shoes are made to work with this sort of foot. Flat feet? Those folks are overpronators. So I try and get a running show designed for my foot.

Which brings me to my last point, if you have orthodics, only some running shoes have the ability to remove the stock insert to replace with an orthodic insert; some are glued in place.
 
Just returned from WDW and I wore my old tennis shoes (had planned to buy new ones but never got around to it) and I got huge blisters on both of my little toes. We are going to return to WDW in April with my sons marching band and I want to buy new shoes now to break them in.

I have seen those new light weight ones. Are they good for all the walking you will do at Disney? If you have some and like them what kind do you have.

Thanks for any help.
New Balance. Professionally fitted at the New Balance store. More expensive but totally worth it. Apparently my foot has been shorter and wider all along... LOL
They have every size and width under the sun. You should try it!
 
I have a pair of Sketchers Go-walks and they are amazing. So lightweight and slip on too

I agree … love how they feel and the ease of slipping on, etc.

However, these shoes do not hold up very well. I had a pair last summer that were pretty much totally worn out by the end of summer.

But I loved them so much I purchased another pair a few months ago … while I love them and wear them a lot they look like they are five years old with a few threads splitting, etc.

They are pricey so I expected them to last at least a season or two … but apparently not.
 
What exactly is the "next step up" in Merrell barefoot sneakers?? Do you have the style name?

The glove is the total minimalist. The run bare has more padding. If you read the descriptions on their website they explain which ones have more padding/structure.



I loved Merrills and then got a pair of ryka dash sneakers on zappos after reading great reviews. I love the ryka shoes even more than my Merrills now.


I am going to check those out.


So whatever you get, make sure they have enough of a sole for the rain. I

I agree. My merrell gloves do have this issue. My dash ones do not. I wear them at WDW and never a problem with wet feet outside of normal.

I own a third pair that is actually completely waterproof. They are like the gloves but have a zipper up the top. I found them at an outlet and not sure merrell still makes them. My DH says they look like water shoes. I use them for walking at home in the fall/spring. They are too warm for Florida.
 
I agree … love how they feel and the ease of slipping on, etc.

However, these shoes do not hold up very well. I had a pair last summer that were pretty much totally worn out by the end of summer.

But I loved them so much I purchased another pair a few months ago … while I love them and wear them a lot they look like they are five years old with a few threads splitting, etc.

They are pricey so I expected them to last at least a season or two … but apparently not.

I have never bothered with sketchers for just this reason. My DS always wanted them and it seemed like we were buying him new pairs constantly because of how they wore. Once we realized the combination of bad wearing on the sketchers and his body caused pain we started looking for better options. Because the merrell bare foots worked so well for me we switched him to them as well. He is pain free now and he grows out of the shoes before the wear out.
 
All I use to be able to wear were Birkenstocks and Crocs. This year, I started having ongoing foot problems and tried Keens. I absolutely love the Whisper and Rose styles. I have bought 3 pair this summer and just live in them. Much better than my Saucony lite runners, as the Keens are waterproof, and machine washable. The toe cap is a great invention as no more stubbed toes or loose stones in my sandals. :thumbsup2
 
I do have a pair of Sketchers Go Walks that I don't think I would get away with wearing at Disney because of the lack of support. I stick with my Brooks if we are going to be in the parks for more than 2 or 3 hours.

I do have a weird suggestions you can take or leave. I noticed my mom wearing her socks inside out often. I thought she had gone crazy. She told me the outsides were softer and didn't rub her feet. I tried it and it worked! I wear athletic socks inside out now-unless I happen to be wearing moisture wicking ones that aren't terry-cloth like on the inside. My other trick is to bring a second pair of socks to change into later in the day. A fresh pair of socks makes my feet feel so much better!
I will be trying this in November. Thanks!:thumbsup2
 
I agree … love how they feel and the ease of slipping on, etc.

However, these shoes do not hold up very well. I had a pair last summer that were pretty much totally worn out by the end of summer.

But I loved them so much I purchased another pair a few months ago … while I love them and wear them a lot they look like they are five years old with a few threads splitting, etc.

They are pricey so I expected them to last at least a season or two … but apparently not.
It's true that they do wear fast but I also live in them during the summer and usually get that and one Disney trip out of a pair.

Since they are pricey, I usually wait until they are on sale at Kohl's and can usually manage to use a coupon. Or, my mom uses her senior discount and picks them up when she sees them( I reimburse her).
 
I am a nurse and am on my feet 12+ hours per shift. I have go walks that I wear and they are amazing for my feet. They are lightweight, don't require being "broken in", and are just plain comfy. That being said, they do not have much in the way of arch support, so if you have ANY foot problems and/or high arches I would not recommend. But I plan on wearing some and getting them for my entire family for our trip in November.
 
I love my GoWalks, however, they have very little ventilation. Not so great for walking for extended periods.
 
I wore my GoWalks at WDW in May, and while they were comfortable and lightweight they didn't give my feet much support for the whole day. I have a bunion on my right foot, and I found them to be very comfortable for my bunion since they are very forgiving in the fit.

I ended up starting out the day with my other shoes and switching to the GoWalks later in the day. That really saved my feet, and gave me an extra lift to finish up the day and feel refreshed at night. The GoWalks are so lightweight that it's easy to pack them in a backpack or stick them in a stroller.
 


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