I need to do some walking practice to get in shape for the theme parks!

[JrsyDebs]

Hi!
I spent 4 hours power shopping at a nearby mall (Franklin Mills Mall in PA) today, and now I am exhausted! If this is how I will feel after a few hours in a WDW park, I had better get some more practice walking to prepare for vacation!
I read the Unofficial Guide recently, and Bob warns about this in one section, but I kind of ignored it, believing it did not apply to me. After all, I spend 6 hours a day on my feet at work in a retail store, so how could I get physically burnt out at WDW? I guess touring in the parks, like my power shopping, is a different kind of walking than what I am used to. (Okay, I am also just plain out of shape, if you have not already guessed!)
Need to possibly rethink our park touring plans to take physical limitations into consideration, but we are only going for four days, so it would be hard to decide what to cut out of the plans...
Can anyone relate to this?
Debs

 

[Kristina]

We were in WDW for our first trip this past Nov. and it was tiring, but we still of course had a great time! I too get really tired from a day of shopping and was worried about how I would do at WDW but I guess we just rested whenever we needed to. I had thought that I best do some walking training beforehand but never got around to it, although hopefully I will before our next trip. That's the plan anyway ! I wouldn't cut anything out before hand, because the excitment may just spur you on and you can always change your plans later if needs be, unless it's a tour or something like that which you've paid in advance for. We sure did, our trip looked nothing like our itinerery, but the planning was half the fun for me .

Have a great trip and let us know how you did .

 

[Local_Girl]

Boy, I know what you mean! We leave in about 2 weeks and I haven't done any walking though we intended to get ready as a family. I'm worried because the past couple of trips I've been sore at the end of the day (legs and feet)...it's also my MIL's first trip there and hopefully she'll be up to it too. So tell me...if I don't want to take ibuprofen at the end of every day...how's Tylenol PM?? Or does anyone have suggestions of what to take every night to help with poor, tired muscles, LOL!

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Hi!
I spent 4 hours power shopping at a nearby mall (Franklin Mills Mall in PA) today, and now I am exhausted! If this is how I will feel after a few hours in a WDW park, I had better get some more practice walking to prepare for vacation!
I read the Unofficial Guide recently, and Bob warns about this in one section, but I kind of ignored it, believing it did not apply to me. After all, I spend 6 hours a day on my feet at work in a retail store, so how could I get physically burnt out at WDW? I guess touring in the parks, like my power shopping, is a different kind of walking than what I am used to. (Okay, I am also just plain out of shape, if you have not already guessed!)
Need to possibly rethink our park touring plans to take physical limitations into consideration, but we are only going for four days, so it would be hard to decide what to cut out of the plans...
Can anyone relate to this?
Debs

Im thinking you need to spend a day at King of Prussia mall next LOL! Sadly, I think I am more tired walking that mall then at a Disney park!

 

[dizprincess717]

Ahh nothing compares to King of Prussia! I go there at least three times during the summer.

Disney World is a lot of walking, that's all you do basically. Make sure you have good, broken in sneakers to wear. Of course I have to buy new shoes before I go so I try to wear them a week or two before I go. My feet still hurt really bad at the end of the day. I should have bought one of those pedometer things, that take a count of how many steps you take in a day. Average should be around 10,000 but I bet I walked about 60,000 some days the way my feet felt!

Definately think about just walking around the neighborhood (or try KoP) a few times before you go. It's a lot, especially the first day. And when you think your feet will feel all better after sleeping but when you wake up they're still sore. Ouchies.

 

[2Xited4Disney]

I bought a pedometer from walmart and walked 11.9 miles.... before it stopped working on the 5th day... I wish i spent the extra three dollars and got a nice one... It was cool to see how much we actually walked.. Of course while going on rides I am sure every bump was a "step" so probably a little less than it actually read... I suggest getting a 10 dollar pedometer throw it in your pocket and have fun

 

[DVC Jen]

I had a pedometer with me last year and during one of our epcot days (walking there from Beach club villas) we walked 16 miles.

Every spring my entire family starts to "train" for our disney trip by walking around a nature trail in our city. It is good for our health, our dogs (which we take with us) and great to get us ready for all that walking at WDW.

My feet always ache after a long day at the parks. Nothing feels better on them than a nice soak in the hot tub before bed. It is like a little slice a heaven.

 

[Bev J]

We are doing the same thing, walking in the evenings when the weather cooperates. I am also digging out my walking videos for the days we cannot get out.
We always take Tylenol-PM with us on trips those first couple of nights you are so tired and sore it will help relax you for a good nights sleep.
Bev

 

[goofyernmost]

I never had a problem with the walking. This year I developed a slight problem with my right knee but it never bothered me while walking just when going up and down stairs or getting up from a seated position.

Since I live in the great white north, comfortable places to walk are at a minimum this time of year. So fat, dumb and happy I headed out for WDW. My intent was to go mid-morning and stay until closing but by 6 or so in the evening my lower leg, from knee to ankle ached so bad that I was actually developing a limp. I decided that since it was still a 2 mile walk to the car, I had better leave while I still could. The next morning it felt fine, so out I went again, same result. What a downer. I don't know if it is a ligament problem or maybe the big "A" but I know I need to do something about it before my next trip.

 

[nluvwithmickey]

I never have a problem with all the walking at WDW. Must be all the magic around me...somehow I don't mind my sore feet as much, I'm so preoccupied with every thing there is to see and do. I do get blisters, and I'm the designated FP go getter for the gang so I know that I do not gain any weight during my trip!!! It's the only vacation this ever happens

 

[kandeebunny]

My mother and I walk our local mall's and go to the gym and use the treadmills. We also start standing for things we would normally do while sitting i.e. paying bills, being on the phone, watching tv. I only usually walk the MK which we do on the first day we are there, while waiting for my ECV to arrive off site. I can walk, but only so long or so far and then I can't the next day so we found this worked best for me. The day after the MK (we usually don't go in to the park until 10:30am) I have a very hard time moving at all.

If you have kids and want to help them get in to shape, and you per chance have a PS1 or PS2 you can go to your local best buy/walmart and pick up 2 DDR pads and pick up Disney Dance Dance Revolution! I's an interactive video game, where you dance along with the arrows. Helps with eye foot coordination as well! Heck adults love it too, my mom loves playing! It has classic Disney songs with a pop/techno twist!

 

[doodlebug]

I am interested to see how I do.. Though I have never been to WDW we do go to Disneyland at least once a year and my feet ache at night from all the walking there.. Well this trip I will be 50 pounds lighter than our last Disneyland trip, have been working out at least 5 days a week for the past 10 months and think I really ready to brave all the walking we will be doing at WDW

 

[LisaS]

I find that as I get to within 2 months or so of a trip to WDW (or anywhere else where I know I'll be walking a lot) it provides just the motivation I need to get on our treadmill and build some stamina! I've also been adding in some stair climbing so I'll be able to climb all those stairs up to my favorite water slides at TL. I don't have a stair climber so I just go up and down the stairs here at home multiple times.

I also try to cut back on my calories during this time to take off a few pounds before we go on the trip. Then I allow myself to have whatever treats I want while I'm there, knowing that I've already "paid in advance" and won't have to face trying to take off that vacation weight when I get back home.

It's funny because I've had a weight problem my whole life and I have very little willpower or motivation to exercise, except when a vacation to WDW is looming! It provides the best motivation for me to watch what I eat and get into better shape.

I do tend to get blisters,though so I'm going to get some better socks for this next trip. My husbands swears by foot powder: he sprinkles some into his socks and never has a problem with blisters so I'm going to try that, too.

 

[ganggreen4jc]

My advice...do situps and get padded insoles for your shoes, too!

When I made the ressies in Nov. for our first ever trip to WDW in July, I started walking in early Dec. to "prepare" for the trip. I'm now up to a 3 mile loop each day (dropped close to 20 lbs!) and in much better shape. Here's the kicker! We live in so Cal and are DL AP's and I just went to the park a few weeks ago for a "few hours" and when I got home, my feet and back were really sore. For me, it's not the walking...IT'S THE STANDING!

The situps will help me with my back (bad posture) and the insoles will make it a bit easier on my feet.

 

[newholidayx2]

I usually average 1/2hr walk per day. However in the winter I get quite behind. I just started trying to "catch up" - bought myself a new pedometer/etc.
I want to get DS back out there walking again too.
We have to get used to walking in the summer heat as we're spending 2wks in WDW/FL this August

 

[Luigi's Girl]

Before our last trip this past November I started to walk for 30 minutes every morning. I did this for a few months before our trip and it really helped a lot. We went to WDW with 16 people and I was always in the front of the pack saying come on you slow pokes. I had so much stamina I could go from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. no problem. I definitely attribute this to the walking and now I know what a difference a little exercise can make.

 

[danny1649]

 

[iLoveEeyore2]

I've also been adding in some stair climbing so I'll be able to climb all those stairs up to my favorite water slides at TL.

I hear you!! Climbing those steps at Blizzard Beach can kill you! Last time I was so out of shape, I thought I was going to have a heart attack!

 

[maxaroni]

We are going in August, so going to do lots of walking and sweating. It's tiring, for sure. The last 2 times we went as a family, we did marathon trips and were totally wiped out. This time, we'll take a mid afternoon siesta and go back in the evening. Hopefully, that will help.

 

[minijeanie]

buy products with COOL MAX in them ,especially the socks...

I love to walk and usually do so 3x a week....but sometimes at wdw I do have achy,tired feet

luckily for me the second leg of my trip I am at BWV renting a 1BR and they have a wonderful jacuzzi tub in it which I gladly soak my feet in every night.