Hey all you Birkenstock/WDW shoe experts

[MonorailNate]

I was just considering a pair of Birkenstock sandals (the cute summer ones) for the summer and our July trip to the World. For those of you who love the Birkenstocks, how do you keep from ruining them if it rains or you get wet on a ride? Will a sudden rain shower damage/ruin them? I was also looking at some Chaco sandals. They just seem a little sportier than I'm accustomed to. I normally just get a new pair of good running shoes for our WDW trips and have never had any foot issues. However, I thought it might be nice to have comfortable sandals as well.

 

[amarberry]

Birks have been my sandals of choice since I started college 15 years ago (wow...I'm getting old!). That said, they really can't be worn in the rain. It's one thing to run from the car to the store with them on during a shower, but I'll wear something different if rain is forecasted. At WDW, I usually wear my tevas. They can get wet and they dry very quickly.

 

[trustknoone]

DD8 loves them. This is the pair (see zappos link below) she has and they are great wet, and she says they are comfy all day. Just to give you an idea of what she thinks is comfy. She had a pair of crocs that she said made her feet hurt and were very hot after about an hour. She wwear her keens all day comfort wise but says they get too hot in WDW(she is very hot natured
The Birkis don't hurt and aren't hot. They are also very cute. They come in other colors at other stores this was just the quickest link. She's had other birkenstock styles and the sizes on these run the same.

Hope this helps.

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/17089495/c/31324.html

 

[weluvthecastle]

I love my Birks and it's all I wear when I got to WDW! You don't want them to get very wet, though, so I would be careful of that. I'm not big on water rides so it's not an issue for me. If I wear the best of tennis shoes my feet and legs are killing me by the end of the day, but I feel nothing when I wear my Birks. Good luck and have a great time!

 

[kdzbear]

I have 4 pairs of Birks and although they take awhile to dry once wet, it will not ruin them. They sell cork sealer when you purchase them and you reseal the cork around the bottom once or twice a year to protect it. The top part is leather and although water is not best for it, they will dry and return to normal. Mine have survived downpours at WDW and still look great. They do take a month or two to fully break in before you want to walk in them for hours! Good luck!

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

I just posted this on another "shoe thread," but I really love my Chacos! They are very water-friendly and feel more "supportive" of my foot (more like a sneaker) than a sandal. They have them in cute colors too - my straps are green with pink flowers but they have lots of pink and purple and other things. Good luck!

 

[ekball]

Do yourself a huge favor and break those Birks in REALLY well before you wear them to WDW. Made that mistake once about 11 years ago...wore new-ish Birks to the MK and it was TORTURE!! I'll never forget it.

 

[Wingedheart]

I prefer TEVA sandals Had my first pair for TWELVE years!! Just got a replacement pair (Terra-Fi 2 style) and am breaking them in for my next Disney trip!!

 

[MonorailNate]

Thanks for all the input on the Birks. For those Teva lovers, which model do you wear? I just tried on a pair of Ecco walking sandals today. They weren't all that cute but I think they might have been the most comfortable shoe I've ever tried on. I might have to go back for them---still debating.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

I don't think I could say enough about my Birks. DH and I wore them rain or shine. As long as you use the sealant for the cork when needed, the birks will not disappoint.

 

[hsmamato2]

I've always loved my birks- and never had an issue with them, they always got wet,and then they dried! no problems....
But then I found crocs....and I have a new love.... now I just wear my old beatup birk sandals for gardening(crocs are too soft for digging) but the crocs we wear everywhere else,including our 14 day trip to WDW,and not one sore foot in the group!

 

[TxRabbit]

I love my Birks, but not as a walking shoe, especially in the summer. But I have a problem with them because I just get sweaty feet. So sorry if that's TMI but it's unfotunately true. My birks were soaked in a good ole Texas rain many times and they did recover but they were never quite the same afterward, but I didn't know about cork sealant in college. I have to second the break them in well if you do decide to get them, because the thing that hurts is your arch as the footbed conforms to your feet. You will get sore arches in the beginning. Because of this, Birks will not be as comfortable out of the box as some other preformed, supportive sandles.

I have always tended towards Tevas for my walking, summer sandal. I am currently contemplating getting the latest and greatest award winning version, but right now I can't remember the name, however I believe it is the sandle that is on the Teva home page now. The key feature that I am interested in is the new sole design which has fine mesh pockets to allow water to escape through the sole without letting gunk in. It also is has a unique strapping system that goes around (that is under your arch and through the sole of the shoe) your foot to really secure the shoe. This is something that I really need with my, um, problem, as I believe it will aid me in my slippage that tends to otherwise occur. My problem is they surely aren't cheap, and I am hoping to find a discount code for them somehow.

That said, I have hiked in regular run of the mill Tevas and it has been fine. Sometimes the slippage has been irritating, but more bothersome than resulting in any blisters, etc.

Happy shopping!