Getting in Shape for Disney Vacation

[Radiojones]

We are going to be at Disney World/Universal for 10 days next month and I have been "training" so that I won't be in constant pain. I'm up to walking roughly 25 miles a week and am hoping this is enough to keep me going through the whole vacation without taking a rest day. I'm curious to hear what everyone else does to get into shape for their vacations and if it works.

 

[kj2mom]

My children and I started walking 3 months before our trip. We live in MA, were traveling for July 4th so we started April 1 (which actually was a bit tricky because it still got dark a little early). We pretty much did 5 miles a day as many days a week as we could, sometimes 7 while sometimes only 3 depending on their teenager schedules. It is impossible to know if it worked but I can definitely say it didn't hurt. Most specifically it helped me to decide which shoes to bring (and which not to bring). During our trip we walked the most our first day and the tracker said it was 11 miles. The other days it ranged between 8-10 miles. Standing can be just as excruciating as walking so it is important that what you wear on your feet works for both scenarios.

 

[Oswin]

About 3 months before our trip I start walking/jogging 6-9 miles every night. On our last trip, we were averaging about 7-8 miles walking a day. I already do about 4-6 miles every day the rest of the year, but really ramp it up before a Disney trip (especially ones in the warmer times of the year).

 

[lustergirl]

I always start walking alot before hand. A pair of good shoes is important as well. I always take more than one pair and change them out every day.

Going on a short trip soon and have rented a scooter for my duration. Getting my right knee replaced soon. I know I will never be able to walk disney.

 

[BrianL]

I don't have trouble with walking, but I do definitely increase the PT I do for my back to make sure it is nice and strong before a trip. I should do this all the time anyway, but my back is where I will get the pain, so I focus on that. I have been able to cut down on the ibuprofen by doing my PT, and most importantly, continuing to do it while I am there, which is not always easy.

 

[LisaCM614]

I get bored with training for training sake so I just make sure I up my gym time. I have done a few things - 'Biking to Orlando' where my goal was to ride the stationary bike as many miles as I would fly to Orlando, I've also done things like make sure I spend as many minutes in the gym as I amd spending $'s on the trip. I have to mix it up - that much walking is just boring and takes too much time. If I was a runner....

 

[mdoc]

I didn't do anything to "train" for Disney - just made sure I had a good pair of comfortable, broken-in shoes plus a spare in case we had rain and the first pair got wet. My daughter was wearing a fitbit so I know we were generally doing at least 10 miles of walking a day. DH and I are late 50s, kids are late teens and 20's, and no one had a problem. It also helps that we don't go when it's really hot. For that I'd probably work on my aerobic conditioning ahead of time.

 

[Gina Starr]

I didn't prepare whatsoever and I really regretted it! I knew I should have started training but I kept putting it off. The worst day was when I did the 8:30 keys to the kingdom tour and stayed till emh ended at 11. The last day of my 10 day trip I think my feet were finally getting used to all the walking/standing. I will definitely be better prepared next time!

 

[Clockwork]

I always start walking alot before hand. A pair of good shoes is important as well. I always take more than one pair and change them out every day.

Going on a short trip soon and have rented a scooter for my duration. Getting my right knee replaced soon. I know I will never be able to walk disney.

Don't get down I had a knee and hip replacement, I walk 5 miles everyday with the advances they have in medicine you should be able to do it.

 

[csmith041177]

Like everybody else, we always try to start a running / walking plan to get ourselves in the best shape possible. I am always amazed at the number of steps we log each day in Disney though, it is crazy. And no matter how much training we do, I am always exhausted with sore feet at the end of each day. I really think that it is not specifically the walking, but just the total amount of time you spend on your feet (including standing in line) as opposed to sitting. I spend most of time each day behind a desk, so when I arrive at the park at rope drop and close it down at night, I have been on my feet for a long time and no amount of training prepares my body for that. Of course...maybe I am just a baby!

 

[goofypizza]

Physically I'm ramping up elliptical time...
Mentally I'm reminding myself not to ride R&RC this year cause it beat the hell outta me last year...will be hard to resist but my body really can't ride it anymore

 

[pens4821]

I don't think it's that big of a deal for most to train beforehand. I'm a big guy (6'2 just under 300 lbs) but I'm a waiter. I'm used to being on my feet all day. On top of walking a lot at work i walk a couple miles a day afterwards (5 or 6 days a week). Very few days I walk less than 10 miles on average so being in Disney doesn't bother me. My feet may hurt, but they do after a normal day so I'm just used to it. My parents are bigger and don't have issues either and while they don't have office jobs they don't walk as much as I do.

However my brother who is big with an office job does need to train for it. He just isn't used to being on his feet.

I think if you have a mobile job you'll be fine. If you sit on your butt all day (and don't exercise after) you may need to train.

 

[TiffanyA]

My family (parents, siblings, husband and child) doesn't train but most of us are pretty active anyway - all of us except for my mom are into either cycling or running. I can see why you'd need to though if you weren't used to being as active. My mom's feet and calves kill her at the end of the day at Disney, so much so that she reluctantly sat in a wheelchair at the end of the day this time around My dad's trying to convince her to go cycling with him.

 

[BumbleB]

I don't really do anything, either, because I am already pretty active. Last year, however, I had my hip replaced in Sept, and was a little worried about how it would hold up to all of the walking, so I walked on the treadmill every day (trip was in Dec). The only problem I had were from blisters on my feet, and we walked almost 90 miles in 6 days.

 

[Canuck16]

We always start walking more and more several months before we go on our trip.

 

[Dis703]

I've never done anything to get ready and have been fine so far. Last year I was doing more walking because I was trying to lose wait before our trip. But really only a mile a day so nothing drastic. Typically, I'm worn out during the first couple of days but I push through pretty easily.

 

[Vylette Rose]

Something that we realized over the years- no matter how good a shape we are in on a trip, we take it slow. We enjoy looking at the scenery, people watching, admiring the architecture etc... This has allowed us to finish our vacations without needing to recover afterward. And it has increased the enjoyment!

 

[loves to dive]

I work out regularly any way so I don't do anything extra (I'm 58 so some days just getting out of bed without having to lay there for 10 min. deciding what body part hurts the worse is a victory) but I do try to keep up my regular routine while I'm there. I only work out about 3 days a week any more, one day cardio, one day strength and one day pilates/yoga so I get up early every day at WDW and take a long walk around the resort. It gives my body time to get the joints lubricated and lets my son sleep a little longer. Otherwise, it's business as usual, I do soak in a hot bath every night just to rest the feet and work the kinks out of the back while I'm there.

 

[kaybird]

We have always done a combo, some of the suggestions here are great! When the boys were younger, we always did a family 5K, there always seems to be one somewhere. Told the kids if they couldn't walk a 5k, they'd never make it at WDW. In the weeks coming closer, we would stand in the longest check out lines. Helps with standing and patience. And as others have said, always always break in shoes before you go!