Tips on how to cope with Disney walking

[DisneyAbsolutely]

Hi everyone. Our son has a muscle tightness issue in his leg that he was born with. He can walk but not long distances without getting tired. I have issues walking at Disney tbh lol. We used strollers for previous trips but he's too old for that now and we'd like to try something different. Id like tips for us adults too frankly because Disney destroys my feet every time. I'm particularly dreading Epcot lol.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My DH has trouble with his feet when we do a lot of walking, too. We try to take a lot of breaks and avoid too much "criss-crossing" of the parks. Sometimes he takes a rest while DS and I are shopping or riding something he's not interested in.

They have wheelchairs you can rent at the parks for your son if he gets too tired as well. I thinks it's only $10 or $12 a day, but you have to leave a larger deposit that you get back.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Even 8-9 year olds if they are not too big/tall can hop in a rental double stroller (sitting diagonally) to take a break from walking; our kids sometimes did at that age.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

My feet used to KILL me until I bought sneakers with good arch support. One brand is Vionic, since I have been wearing these sneakers, my feet no longer hurt. My hips hurt the first few days (LOL) but once I get in the groove, I'm good to go. I'm not sure if this would help your DH but maybe it will. Here's to hoping.

My other suggestion would be to rent scooters. Unfortunately, there is no getting around doing a lot of walking at WDW so if it's truly an issue maybe a scooter would help.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I've rented a scooter from Buena Vista Scooters the past recent trips, works great. I would not be able to do WDW without one.

Discounts from Deb's allears, and maybe from this board also.

https://www.buenavistascooters.com/

 

[Turn the Page]

You don't say how old your son is but I'm not sure a scooter would be an option unless he is at least a teenager. They are only built for one person, no riders, and if he is a younger child he may not be able to drive one.

I imagine planning lots and lots of breaks, taking things slow, and maybe only planning half days or less in the parks would be your best options, plus perhaps a stroller or wheelchair.

 

[Southernmiss]

I have a couple of teen relatives who use wheelchairs at Disney.

 

[notatallmagic]

If you're a planner, I would suggest making an itinerary that avoids criss-crossing the parks, and also that alternates sitting and standing rides. For example, we always start MK with Little Mermaid (typically a short wait), then maybe Peter Pan (longer wait), then PhilharMagic (sitting), maybe Pooh, then Small World (long sitting ride); with that strategy you're building in cool/shade/breaks too.

With Epcot, we do "the circle" and take breaks for sitting, eating, and relaxing. Hope that helps!

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Excuse my ignorance if this is a dumb question but would physical therapy help at all in this scenario? To increase endurance ahead of the trip?

 

[_19disnA]

Disney parks can involve MILES of daily walking. For adults of all ages, unless you routinely do a lot of walking at home, you will find it can be quite exhausting. No one suddenly turns into an Olympic athlete just because they are at Disney. I would prepare by doing walking at home around your neighborhood. Depending upon the time of year, it can be HOT/HUMID @ Disney much of the year which also makes it more of a challenge. Even if you live in a part of the country that has a warm climate, you probably don't do your most strenous outdoor activities during the hottest times of the day.

Taking breaks from the parks and being realistic about your abilities is probably a good plan. It is unrealistic to think you can go from the time a park open until it closes on multiple consecutive days without getting exhausted.

 

[momz]

I recommend an offsite rental for the duration of your trip. Can the two of you share a wheelchair or scooter. Not at the same time, but take turns? that could cut the distance for each of you down by half. Or rent two scooters.

I used a scooter on our last trip as I have MS. while I can walk, i get spasticity when I get tired. I used the scooter every day. sometimes I would walk and my husband would take the scooter...it was good for him to take load off as well, even though he doesn't have a disability. It was primarily for my use.

it made a tremendous difference in our trip! i was able to participate the whole day, travel the whole park. It was a joy to be able to go there with my family.

in my opinion, WDW does well accommodating my needs. the cast members were very kind as well.

Check out the disabilities thread here on the disboards.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Also, wear your most broken-in, comfortable sneakers. Even the most comfortable new shoes will cause blisters. Don't worry if they're ugly-I had a pair of sneakers designated as my "WDW Shoes," because they were so broken in my foot shape was indented into the bottom. And they were so ugly. But my feet hurt less. This past trip, I followed some advice from the Unofficial Guide and completely wrapped my feet in duct tape, including each individual toe. Don't laugh. Broken in shoes can cause blisters, too. With socks on over the tape, nobody will know. I didn't get a single blister.

 

[disneychrista]

My first piece of advice is the same as anyone with kids who are either too big/old for a stroller or like my youngest who refused to use the stroller at 3 years old - Go at his pace.

Others have pretty much covered the other advice. Limit crisscrossing the park. We always start in one area and make our way around. Take breaks, which could just mean enjoying a show-type attraction. If needed get a wheelchair.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Disney parks can involve MILES of daily walking. For adults of all ages, unless you routinely do a lot of walking at home, you will find it can be quite exhausting. No one suddenly turns into an Olympic athlete just because they are at Disney. I would prepare by doing walking at home around your neighborhood.

Additionally, one thing I found as I got older is that my core muscles were not used to standing for 10+ hours a day. I was sitting all day at work and those muscles just atrophied. My back would be killing me by the end of the day at a theme park.

A little over a year ago I bought a standing desk and started using it at work. Completely resolved my back pain issues.

 

[JLTraveling]

Excuse my ignorance if this is a dumb question but would physical therapy help at all in this scenario? To increase endurance ahead of the trip?

This. My dad has severe osteoarthritis in his spine, and a couple of pain management procedures combined with intensive physical therapy got him off the scooter and into just using a cane, even at Disney. I'm not sure if it would be appropriate for your son's issue or not, but maybe worth asking his doctor.

Even with all that, Dad can't do what most people would consider a "normal" Disney day. So some tips we've learned over the years include:

• Circle, don't crisscross, the park. Yes, that may mean standing in longer lines (unless your son qualifies for DAS? I have no idea if he would qualify or not). But for Dad, just saving all those extra steps really helps.
• Take frequent breaks. It's insane how many benches Disney has removed, but you can still find places to rest if you look hard enough. During off times, consider buying a drink or snack to share so you can sit at a counter service restaurant. Or lean against a wall for awhile. Dad can't get up and down real easily, so this one doesn't work for him, but if everyone is able, find a patch of grass to sit in for a few minutes.
• Take in all the shows, as well as smaller attractions with short lines. Those few minutes of sitting comfortably can be a godsend.
• Prepare, prepare, prepare. Get your family started taking daily walks NOW, and gradually increase both the pace and the length. Stamina and muscle endurance take a LONG time to develop.

Good luck! I know how tough the walking can be, especially for people who have any physical issues.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Can you plan for table service lunches so you know you'll have a nice break then?

 

[RoseColored97]

I agree with the other previous posters suggestion of renting a scooter for both you and your son. They can be a huge help for those who have issues with walking long distances. Anything to make your trip more enjoyable is worth it.

Do you drink a lot of water when you're at the parks? I've always been able to walk 30,000+ steps/day while we're at the parks with only a little fatigue in my legs and feet. Last trip, my legs were SO sore when I did my fast walk/partial run in the mornings to get to rope drop that I had to sit down on the concrete while we were waiting and had difficulty walking for a while. It happened several times over the course of the trip. I had never experienced something like that and it worried me a lot. I think my problem was that I was so dehydrated (I'm a diet Pepsi/diet Dr. Pepper girl) because I wasn't drinking nearly enough water and would drink things that would exacerbate the dehydration issue. Hasn't happened since.

Try drinking as much water as you can before/during/and after your trip. Also try light stretching before you head out and during any midday breaks.

 

[dizneegirl]

It's unpopular, but DH and I wear boots (hiking/work) in the parks. Even wearing sneakers, my feet would be so sore at the end of the day, I'dhave a hard time getting going again if I sat, they just hurt so much. I'd also have muscle cramps in my shins/up the sides of my legs if we walked too fast. The boots have been a lifesaver, with more support around my ankles, a little heel, and more cushion. I also make sure I get potassium and hydration in the mornings before we get going (coconut water and low sodium V8 are both great for potassium), and hydrate throughout the day.

If your son is bigger than a stroller, consider a wheelchair... he could push it when he wanted to walk, and sit in if he needed that break. He wouldn't have to use it all the time. My grandmother did that her last trip.

DH and I also go out a few months ahead of Disney trips and try to start getting more walking in to gear up for it. In the summer, we'll go walk fairs and festivals... that gets us ready for heat and walking. We park at the very far end of parking lots when we go shopping... things like that.

And don't feel bad if you all just need to sit and take a break. Shows are great for that. As is people watching on a bench with some cold water to drink.

 

[Miffy]

I go to WDW with my sister, who walks slowly and cannot walk long distances. She's totally disinterested in anything like a wheelchair or scooter.

We stop a lot and sit. And, as other posters have suggested, we avoid crisscrossing the parks. I've learned to adjust to her pace and needs and everything works out.

Ask your son how he would like to handle this and have a plan ready ahead of time. There's no getting around walking at WDW. On a slow day, it's easy to log at least 5 miles--and that doesn't count time standing.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I’m 60 and it’s definitely getting harder for me too. I started walking a few days a week last month for our upcoming trip in October. I take breaks when I need them in the parks. When we went last year we decided to just do 2 park days on our 5 night trip. It was so nice and relaxing. Loved having more pool time. We did go to Disney Springs briefly and also resort hopped. Definitely would do it that way again. Although our trip in October is with our son, daughter-in-law and 3 granddaughters for 9 nights with 8 day park hoppers so I have to get in better shape.