No, not the shoes from Disney World or shoes with pictures of Mickey Mouse. We mean, "what kind of shoes should I wear to Disney World?"
It can be a more complicated question than you think. Obviously, they need to be comfortable as you'll be doing a lot of walking. What does "comfortable" mean, though?
We used to recommend tennis shoes, Chacos, and Crocs as good shoes for visiting Disney World. With the recent studies that show that going barefoot or nearer to it, however these "high support" shoes may make your vacation more uncomfortable than you might think.
In an effort to test the theories, I recently did a full day (literally, about 7AM to past 10PM) in Disney's Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom wearing only flip-flops. Although my legs were pretty tired at the end of the day, I was shocked that I had absolutely zero pain the next day like I've always had before, even when wearing a couple of my previously favorite Chacos and Crocs. It was a nice relief from a normally difficult second and third day in the parks.
The general advice that follows from the recent studies indicates you should try to wear shoes that provide as little support as possible and allow your foot as much space as possible. This allows your foot to work as it's supposed to, rather than being "cast" inside a supportive shoe that doesn't allow your foot to function while allowing it to weaken and cause knee and hip issues in return.
So, what types of shoes provide these types of solutions? Here's a small list of some of the options I've tried, used, and am considering.
- Flip-flops. I like Reef and Crocs flip-flops, but any flat footbed floppies will work.
- Sanuks. These are like a flip-flop sole with a shoe upper. I have a pair and they're amazingly comfortable, you feel the ground under your feet, and your foot has a lot of room to move around. Plus, you can literally toss them in the washing machine to clean them up.
- Converse All-Stars. Good, old-fashioned Chucks are great for a long day of walking. Following the recommendations of the barefoot studies, they provide no arch support, minimal sole thickness, and lots of toe room. Plus, they're popular with your kids....again.
- Vibram FiveFingers. If you really want to embark on the barefoot experience, these are the "shoes" for you! You'll have to get past the looks and jeers from family and friends, but I can tell you from personal experience that I've never put on a more comfortable pair of "shoes."
Regardless of your stand on barefoot technologies, be sure to bring along shoes that your comfortable in for your Disney World vacation. And, bring along more than one pair.
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