Open Toed Shoes on rides

[stubby]

I assume that if you are wearing flip flops to the parks that you are not there for 16 hours ? My feet just couldn't last more than a few hours in flip-flops.

IMO, a good pair of sturdy athletic shoes are a requirement for park touring.

Hillbilly trash here(btw I live in AZ and never wore flip flops til I moved to the west but since 98% of people here wear them...I conformed.) I wore flip flops every day of our 6 day trip except one. On that day I wore my keds and got a blister so those shoes were put away and the flip flops came out. Feet hurt just as equally after a long day(we opened the park each day and left after 10) with the flip flops as with the keds. Never once had my feet ran over or stepped on by anyone.
As for back problems from the flip flops...everything causes something. The soda I drink rots my teeth. The cell phone I use causes cancer. But, I only live once and might as well do it how I want to.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

I don't wear flip flops in the parks except when I'm on a water ride. For the rest of the time, I wear Asics and foot powder.

Now, I'm all decked out in my hillbilly finest 7 days/week at home!!! Crank up the banjos, baby!! Montrail Molokini flip flops - an athletic shoe bottom with excellent arch support and stability. As a reference, my favorite daytime shoe is Dansko and I'm very keen on proper foot support. The Molokinis provides all of this for me. These and Dansko Professionals are the only shoes I wear in the kitchen, where I have to stand for long periods of time.

Pic of the Montrail:

 

[disneychrista]

Hillbilly trash here...As for back problems from the flip flops...everything causes something. ... But, I only live once and might as well do it how I want to.

Since I was quoted I feel the need to reply to this response...I never called anyone hillbilly trash. Nor said anything about causing back problems etc. I personally have no problems with what you wear on your feet, I just know that for me I couldn't wear flip flop or Keds, as they do not provide enough support for me.

 

[SarafinaPink]

I had to remove my flip flops for Silly Symphony swings so they wouldn't fly off, but they have a bin for that kind of stuff. Other than that, I have worn flip flops on all the rides and had no problems.

 

[furb & dez]

Have you ever used the free lockers right outside GRR? They are free for 2 hours, and after that you need to pay for them. We always put our stuff in there since there is no way you can avoid getting wet on that ride! On Splash it's a little easier to keep your things dry, but I like the idea of waterproof bags! I have seen parents put their kids things in large ziplock bags. A lady even put a large ziplock freezer bag over her head so her hair wouldn't get wet!

I have a rule that I don't let any possession I ever wish to see again out of my sight when i'm in a theme park. We're carrying the backpack anyway, so it's just easier for us to put them in there. Works for us!

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

While I haven't worn flip-flops, I have worn sandals with open toes.

I used to be a firm believer (and family enforcer) of wearing sneakers/athletic shoes/whatever to the parks every time, but our latest trip was a summer trip and there was no way I could stand being in sneakers and socks all day in the heat. My body temp seems to be VERY regulated by my feet. Also, I cannot stand having wet feet so our choice was to carry extra shoes all day for one ride or just wear the sandals.

These are super thin, almost no support sandals and I have to say my feet & especially my back actually seemed LESS sore than when I've worn the sneakers all day in the past. And yes, we were at the parks for 12+ hours. Not one broken/stubbed toe. No one stepped on my feet or ran me over. I have been run over by a wheelchair in the past with sneakers on, but I don't think it helps all that much anyway to be honest. I've run over my own toes both ways with a grocery cart and it all hurts just about the same. (Yeah, I'm quite accident prone. My kids make fun of me for it all the time.)

Next time I'll likely find sandals with a bit more support and I think it's perfect for me. I think just like every personality is different, so is every BODY. While something may not work for you, it might work just fine for someone else.

I've seen some sandals with as much support as a sneaker, and I've seen some flip-flops that are nicer (and more expensive) than any shoe/boot/high heel I own and not all my shoes are from Payless. Not exactly "hill-billy trash".

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I live in Fit Flops year round, even in winter, unless it get's really frigid out, and am forced to hunt for some covered toed shoes that my back will tolerate. The Fit Flops keep my very bad back happy, and I can walk the entire day without my back or my feet getting sore. They have good support in them, unlike the cheapie thongs out there (I mean the $5 or under ones that have no support whatsoever). To each their own. Ultimately it's what you are most comfortable wearing. I would rather take my chances in my Fit Flops in the parks, rather than have a seized back at the end of the day. It's a trade off I've chosen to make for the sake of my back.

 

[sonnyjane]

I wear flip-flops in the parks because I don't want to get a sock tan! Shallow? Yes, but that's my reason!

 

[rentayenta]

I always wear flip-flops. The one time I wore running shoes, my feet were killing me after an hour. Go figure.

 

[bumbershoot]

*shrug* Enjoy your foot injuries and back pain.

Just, FWIW here...people here who wear flipflops in the parks, who have done it and will do it in the future, probably are NOT experiencing the same problems that you might have experienced. I mean, very few people are going to continue doing something that has hurt them, if they can think of other options.

For me, until I dumped the cotton socks, athletic shoes were OK for half a day, maybe, but I had to get out of them after that b/c of blisters and pain.

During our last DLR trip I finally FINALLY found the Crocs Athens flipflops (Disney themed b/c they were in the parks) and they were an absolute lifesaver. YES wearing brand new shoes in the parks absolutely wore off my skin and I had many bandaids over the top of my feet and around the important toes-for-ff-wearing. But the BONES of my feet thanked me with every single step.

When we went to WDW in December, on the days that I could bare my toes, I wore my Athens, and it was absolutely great. Alas, it was very very cold during our trip, so most days I wore my stability-plus running shoes from Roadrunner. Thankfully they had shown us the light of the "wicking" sock, and we were saved from blisters.

So for me, the Athens and athletic shoes combined with wicking socks are a perfect combo. For me, I can't wear the same athletic shoe two days in a row. I like switching off.

Everyone has to figure out what works best for their own feet!

 

[rentayenta]

I can't see how anyone would ever consider that someone else's footwear choice is anyone's business but their own.

That's how I feel about reproductive rights.




I never feel any sort of back pain at Disneyland or otherwise after wearing flip flops and we have commando days sometimes.

 

[FlameGirl]

That's how I feel about reproductive rights.

 

[ducky_love]

You know - it never occured to me that flip flops could be "inappropriate" before I read it on these boards. If Disney will let me into their parks wearing them it seems that by definition flip flops are appropriate shoes?

I am at WDW all the time and wear nothing but flip flops. I have never had a problem and it gets plenty crowded! I was at Hollywood Studios tonight (it was a Fit Flop night)! Just make sure you have them broken in before you wear them to the parks, but that is good advice with any shoes.

 

[rentayenta]

I find fanny packs and bare skin muffin tops far more offensive than flip-flop!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I find fanny packs and bare skin muffin tops far more offensive than flip-flop!

A. Men.

I actually prefer flip flops at our local amusement park. I found that my heels and arches felt a lot better (back too oddly) at the end of the day. I totally didn't expect that but..there ya have it.

Long ago, people didn't wear shoes....and running shoes are always trying to mimic bare feet movement. Hmmm. If it wasn't so nasty maybe I'd go barefoot

 

[GFam1sttimers]

I don't wear flip flops in the parks except when I'm on a water ride. For the rest of the time, I wear Asics and foot powder.

Now, I'm all decked out in my hillbilly finest 7 days/week at home!!! Crank up the banjos, baby!! Montrail Molokini flip flops - an athletic shoe bottom with excellent arch support and stability. As a reference, my favorite daytime shoe is Dansko and I'm very keen on proper foot support. The Molokinis provides all of this for me. These and Dansko Professionals are the only shoes I wear in the kitchen, where I have to stand for long periods of time.

Pic of the Montrail:

These look awesome! I am trying to get our shoes purchased now so we can wear them in for Disney. I have Skechers Tone-ups that I have worn pretty much all day, they are very comfy!

 

[GFam1sttimers]

Thanks again everyone for the help! I can't wait to hit up some Summer Clearance Sales and get some comfy flip-flops that I can break in before the end of September!

 

[DangerMouse]

Teva Mush flip flops are my Disney touring shoe of choice. Super comfy. These shoes took me all over WDW in April. I did switch them out with tennis shoes every once in a while to give my feet a change in support.



<-------My secret boyfriend is the #1 Hillbilly in the parks (check out my avatar), so I'm proud to be a flip flop wearing Hillbilly.

 

[Cais]

My Rainbows are the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned, and if flip-flops are white trash then well every college student in SoCal is trashing up the place lol. Last time I went to Disneyland we knocked out every Disneyland ride, from opening to close in my flip flops and was more tired after my half day at DCA in tennis shoes .

 

[nunzia]

I don't think any footwear is inappropriate (ok.why are people going out more and more in slippers..really??) My biggest concern, and maybe this comes from working in the food service industry for so long where basically steel toed non slip shoes were the norm, is that I don't want to give hordes of people the power to smash my toes at any moment. Safety issue, not fashion. I have accidentally stepped on people's feet wearing flip flops, sandals, etc. you stop suddenly and step back to avoid crashing into a kid or stroller and there you go.