Physically prepping for Disney World

[LSUfan4444]

The best way to deal with fatigue at Disney is what you do while you're there rather than what you do before you arrive. Obviously being physically fit will help, but someones effort should be proportionately balanced with their fitness. Regardless of how much you walk, things like hydration and recovery are key.

That being said, drink TONS OF WATER. I would suggest aiming for at least an ounce of water per pound of body weight. Not soda, not coffee, not juice...water. We bring insulated bike bottles like this below. I'll drink one before I leave the room and one before I go to bed each night and usually another 4-5 throughout the day.

In addition to hydration, look into the possibility of compression socks. When you get back to your room at night put them on when you go to sleep.

We walk alot and chose the Boardwalk specifically so we can walk to/from Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Often times we will walk through epcot to the monorail to get to/from Magic Kingdom just because we don't like messing with the busses and while I normally run 40-50 miles per week and ride my bike another 100-200 miles per week Disney even takes it's toll on me.

Practicing things like good posture, increasing core strength and incorporating some sort of a strength routine (stairmaster, etc) should benefit just about anyone, but I would also suggest consulting a doctor before beginning any new strength or cardio routine.

 

[loves to dive]

The thing is - you can't really prepare for the Disney Death March. You think it's just walking so you practice walking - but it's not. It's the standing, the heat and the humidity... oh, the humanity er... humidity! . Seriously - walking is one thing. Walking and standing with the heat sapping your strength is quite another. You always underestimate how much heat makes you weak, but it does. You won't find those things in your local gym or outside unless you live in Florida or elsewhere on the equator.

The only real way to prepare is to move a treadmill into the sauna and practice getting on it at somewhere around a 4.5 speed for 10 minutes, then stand for 40, rinse and repeat for 9 hours a day for a week or two before you leave. I would recommend breaking into the gym at night as they will usually frown at you manhandling one of the treadmills into the sauna. if it's a gym with a jacuzzi, you can take a quick dip every 5 hours (no more than 1 second each time) to simulate a water ride. If it's a family, you can reasonably rotate your time on the treadmill (one walks when another stands) so you can actually prep a whole family with just one treadmill and a sauna - economy!

Assuming they are not willing to do that, they will be tired - almost everyone is. They will sit - almost everyone does. They will lean - almost everyone does. At the end of the day, they will manage as best they can. Just make sure there is lots of water and suntan lotion nearby so they don't roast or faint and they'll live.

I love this. I live in Georgia and my honey is from south Georgia, which is all swampland so WDW is just like home to me. I used to jog before I blew out my knees and I can tell even at 5:30 in the morning before the sun would come up, when I'd get home even after a short jog of 3 miles, I'd be dripping wet.

 

[fairy oma]

moot point

My bad...I was still on my first cup of coffee; it has been edited but correcting the spelling of others in that manner is a bit off putting as everyone makes mistakes at some point.

 

[minera]

My bad...I was still on my first cup of coffee; it has been edited but correcting the spelling of others in that manner is a bit off putting as everyone makes mistakes at some point.

No worries. I run a software company, and teach regularly at the local college. I occasionally make spelling and grammar mistakes. I chalk it up to being busy, or maybe my mind is going so fast that I can't keep up with it. There will always be people that cannot help themselves and correct spelling and grammar. Tis' life....

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

For me it's the standing. Walking isn't the big problem for me; not even when I was much heavier and more sedentary. But the standing in line was the killer. And it's hard to prepare for that.

ITA. I don't have a problem with all the walking since I walk every day for exercise. But the standing in line tires my legs, ankles and feet. We recently got motorized stand-up desks at work so for at least 15 minutes every hour I work standing up. We'll see if this helps on our trip next month!

 

[ajenks22]

Before we went in April, I had read many good advices which I ignored and I regreted not listening to the "experts".

These were things people have said:
1. take mid-break by going back to resort to rest or swim, especially if you are going to rope drop
2. take several different types of shoes
3. try not to do "too much"

I was so much in pain from walking all day for 7 days straight, I did not enjoy myself at all. It was my first time and when I got back, I told people I needed REAL vacation. Our only breaks were to eat but hurried because we wanted to ride much as possible.

Yes to all of this! I would add that I tell people Disney is a trip, not a vacation. There is a difference.

OP: perhaps ask them if they are ready to clock 15-20k steps per day. For those who might use a FitBit or something, this might give them a better sense of what "a lot of walking" means.

 

[SplashMo]

Make sure people do not bring flip flops to the park.

Keens, tevas, running shoes all Ok.

Go on a three mile walk. Actual distance in the parks is much more.

 

[dsnycrzy]

We leave in 19 days and I just told my DD and DS that we are going to walk around the mall a few times in the next couple of weeks. Since we have been out of school (Im a teacher), we have been couch potatoes. So to get ourselves together, we will start walking soon. Due to my DS's anxiety issues, we won't stay at the parks all day. Some breaks in the afternoon and then come back and some days we planned our day to end by 3-4pm.