Keeping your feet dry when it rains?

[2boysmom1998]

We are going to WDW next week and they are predicting heavy rains all week while we are there. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep your feet dry? I hate my feet being wet, and don't want my kids to walk around with wet feet all day. It's going to rain all day heavily so, there won't even be a chance for our shoes or us to dry off.

We don't like sandals, we don't even have sandals, I bought my kids new tennis shoes (which they have broken in) for our trip.

Any suggestions on what has worked for you is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

Wow, with the constraint of no sandals, I don't quite know what to tell you.

I'd normally suggest some kind of quick drying, supportive water sandal, like Keens. If wearing those all day doesn't sound like it would work, then maybe starting out in your tennies and switching to a pair of flip flops or some other kind of athletic sandal for when it's actively raining and then switching back when the rain lets up. Galoshes or some kind of duck shoe could work, too, but wouldn't have the support of sneakers and would be really bulky.

Since that's not an option, I'd suggest bringing several pairs of non-cotton socks (tech fabrics do WAY better when wet) per day (if your shoes aren't too wet) and a change of shoes to the park. Bring some newspapers to ball up in your shoes at night to help dry them out.

I hope you end up with great weather and a wonderful time!

 

[Burnedout]

Wool socks. They keep you dry and cooler.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

We were there last year in early June and there was a lot of rain. You just need to wear sandals or you will be miserable. We had tevas and crocs. There is no way you will survive with wet sneakers all week and you will end up buying crocs or sandals there anyway.
My tevas are really comfortable and I have a lot of foot pain due to a foot injury/surgery a few years ago. What do you have against a good pair of waterproof sandals?

 

[scrapquitler]

We are going to WDW next week and they are predicting heavy rains all week while we are there. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep your feet dry? I hate my feet being wet, and don't want my kids to walk around with wet feet all day. It's going to rain all day heavily so, there won't even be a chance for our shoes or us to dry off.

We don't like sandals, we don't even have sandals, I bought my kids new tennis shoes (which they have broken in) for our trip.

Any suggestions on what has worked for you is appreciated! Thanks!

Sneakers are the WORST thing to wear if it's raining because they are miserable to wear when they are wet and they take forever to dry (they probably won't even be completely dry for the next day if the rain is really heavy).

I suggest a lightweight fast drying shoe (sandals, crocs or those mesh type sneakers). Bring extra shoes with you and change your socks a couple times during the course of the day. I'd suggest learning to love sandals or you might be miserable.

 

[Marionnette]

We are going to WDW next week and they are predicting heavy rains all week while we are there. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep your feet dry? I hate my feet being wet, and don't want my kids to walk around with wet feet all day. It's going to rain all day heavily so, there won't even be a chance for our shoes or us to dry off.

We don't like sandals, we don't even have sandals, I bought my kids new tennis shoes (which they have broken in) for our trip.

Any suggestions on what has worked for you is appreciated! Thanks!

I hate to say it, but you may have to develop an appreciation for sandals. Sneakers just don't do well in Florida downpours. They stay wet all day and you will develop blisters more easily. Not only that, but they take forever to dry out after getting soaked. Who wants to start the day putting their foot into a wet shoe from the previous day's thunderstorm?

The only alternative is to bring extra pairs of sneakers and dry socks into the parks with you so that you can change when your feet get wet. Otherwise, you're going to be miserable.

 

[BeveMom]

We are going next week as well, and none of the weather forecasts that I've looked at have indicated all day rain (except for maybe Friday). Everything says occasional thunderstorms and sun. We're just bringing extra shoes.

 

[Babsy]

If you are determined to wear sneakers:

Plastic overshoes! If you can get plastic overshoes for your sneakers to wear during the rain, that would be great. Another idea that my Mom uses to stay drier during a short rainfall is to tie plastic bags over her feet. Also plastic bags between your socks and sneakers can help keep feet dry when sneakers are not.

The best thing to do, as others have suggested, is to break down and wear sandals. Perhaps they are not usually as comfortable for all day wear, but they are preferable, in my opinion, to wet sneakers all day long ( and perhaps all week).

 

[chocolatemint]

The only shoes that will truly keep your feet dry in the rain are waterproof hiking boots/shoes with GoreTex or similar -- but your feet will sweat in them, especially in the summer!

I agree with PPs, you're just going to have to accept the inevitable and get some sandals!

 

[capegirl]

If you've ever been caught in a bad Florida downpour you would know why people are suggesting waterproof sandals...you could be up to your ankles in water in a matter of minutes. Thankfully these storms are usually short lived. I'm not a fan of wet feet either, so I bring a small towel along in a ziplock bag to dry our feet off. DH always wear sneakers no matter what, so he has to bring an extra pair; of course this does not help his wet feet when we are in the parks and far from the resort.

 

[melifeld]

I love the Keen type and Teva sandals. They are made to wear in water and dry very quickly. I know you said no sandals, but wet sneakers can take a couple of days to dry, and give you blisters.

The sport sandals have covered toes and the soles are just as comfy as sneakers, but without socks.

The only other thing I can think of that might work would be those barefoot shoes, but I believe they take some getting used to. I would not want to deal with breaking those in at WDW.

 

[ScrampShopper]

I hate sandals as well (though I do make an exception for Keen sandals in the summer), and I normally wear Keen shoes. I think they are for hiking, but look like sneakers. There was all day rain for most of my trip this spring and I walked through lots of deep water, and my socks never got wet. These are the ones I wear.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

If you've ever been caught in a bad Florida downpour you would know why people are suggesting waterproof sandals...you could be up to your ankles in water in a matter of minutes. Thankfully these storms are usually short lived. I'm not a fan of wet feet either, so I bring a small towel along in a ziplock bag to dry our feet off. DH always wear sneakers no matter what, so he has to bring an extra pair; of course this does not help his wet feet when we are in the parks and far from the resort.

I totally agree, the rain may be short lived & fast but in no time you could find yourself in puddles 3-4 inches deep while it is at it's worst. It can easily go from zero to flood to dry again.

If it truly rains all day, I would say it would be impossible to keep dry feet wearing regular sneakers. DD's got soaked on the 1st night of our last trip (earlier this month, 3 days of ongoing storms) & I was SO happy we were offsite for that trip with a washer/dryer right in our condo. It was STILL difficult to get her shoes dry enough by the next morning for her to be comfortable all day.

I'm with the PP - I think you need to consider sandals or crocs.

 

[ScrampShopper]

I forgot to mention that I have worn 2 brand new pairs of the Keen shoes I mentioned above at Disney with no breaking in required.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you REALLY will not wear sport sandals of any kind (we are not discussing flimsy shoes here -- sport sandals are made for serious walking or boating, and have supportive soles and sturdy straps that encase more than half of your foot), then your best bet is an amphibious sneaker.

Amphibious sneakers are mostly made for boating or all-terrain hiking use, and are intended to be worn without socks. They have quick-drying mesh uppers, closed-cell-foam-lined insoles, and the soles themselves have drain holes through them that allow water to drain out of the bottom.

Merrell makes them, as do Keen, Teva and Nike. The brand that originated this technology was a company called Salomon, which is still out there and is a favorite with all-terrain hikers. None of these shoes are cheap, but they are good quality and will last most adults a very long time. You can also get budget versions of these from Land's End, but the quality isn't the same for heavy use; I do buy those for my kids to use at summer day camp, but by the end of summer they are usually about shot.

(BTW, Land's End has all of their shoes 30% off today, May 30th, 2013 -- one-day sale.)

 

[MSSANDRA]

I really doubt it will be a full week of heavy rain. Outside of a hurricane, that is pretty rare. You may be well have some rain every day and an afternoon thunder shower is almost a given. We like our tennis shoes, and we go winter so not so bad for rain, but when it rains, no tennis shoes for us. We mostly wear crocs, and we have been known to wear them with socks and take several pairs with us to change out. My nephew wore his good quality well broken in tennis shoes in the rain and got terrible blisters. He was about 8 and they ended up renting him a stroller and going off site to buy him a really good pair of sandals. There are lots of choices out there that can get wet. I would take everyone somewhere like Academy Sports and see what everyone might like. Going to cost a lot less than trying to find something after you all have blisters. Good luck!!!

 

[Schmeck]

Go buy some rainboots that fit over your sneakers. Even if it rains for 10 minutes, WDW floods quickly (water table is usually very high) and water will be ankle deep in some places.

 

[bearloch]

Yes we are in the rainy season and yes they are calling for heavy rain everyday but its usually about 40 mins a day I would get some crocs as they are very light and carry them with you when it raining run inside and change into the crocs wear them while its raining then change back! also invest in the longer ponchos so you bottoms are covered when sitting on trams, etc!

Umbrellas are a pain! also as funny as they look get a diaper pad to sit on for parades and benchs, etc they really really work well!

 

[ORMom2Four]

There is no way I would suggest anyone go to Disneyworld without sandals. You could easily be stuck in an area when a huge downpour hits, and you will get soaked from head to toe. Even if you luck out and are able to duck in somewhere, unless you wait in there hours, there will be puddles everywhere and your shoes WILL get wet I'm from Oregon, where it rains all of the time, but I have never been in downpours like they have in Florida--it's something else!

Walking around in wet tennis shoes is going to be miserable. You will end up cutting your day short just to go back to the hotel to try to get all of the shoes dry. In the humidity, that is not going to be easy. Suppose they don't dry? You may be forced to spend time on your vacation shopping for shoes that are more appropriate for the rain.

My suggestion? Wear the tennis shoes, but buy each person a pair of sandals and carry them in a backpack or under the stroller (if you are bringing one).

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

If sandals are still off the table, my 4 year old suggested water shoes--the soft, slipper like ones. They'd pack super small, dry quickly, and would still cover your feet. No support, but hopefully you'd only need them for a bit.