Need Serious Shoe Help!

[DisneyPrincess5]

Hi all!

I am looking for a comfortable shoe option to support my feet and back with the amount of walking at the parks that's not sneakers.

Okay so I know this topic has been discussed before. In fact I posted a thread a few years ago about it because I struggle with this so much.
We're going to WDW for our honeymoon this coming Fall and I desperately want to be able to wear skirts and dresses to stay cool. But sneakers and dresses don't mix. Plus their hot.

My problem is that I have some feet and back concerns. My feet become sore very easily and as a result of improper shoes and then my back hurts as well. It's happened a million times to me at WDW while wearing sandals. I don't want this to happen again on any trip, especially our honeymoon but I'd like to wear a type of shoe other than sneakers.

What options have you guys found comfortable that support my back and feet that are not sneakers? Something tried and true that always works for you? And no crocs please! Crocs hurt my feet walking in them with not even close to the amount of walking at Disney so those are out.

Thank you!!! Your input is greatly appreciated!

 

[awesomeinabox]

I live in these shoes at work. They're so worth the extra money and can also be found at Clarkes outlets.
Outside of those I usually wear the Nike fit foam sandals because they're more comfortable than the rebok or Adidas brand. http://m.zappos.com/nike-comfort-thong-black-white-vivid-pink

 

[annawilliams]

Sorry- Wanted to add one more! =) I just was thinking about this post today. I would also recommend Me Too brand flats. If you have Nordstrom Rack by you, you can usually find them for around $25. They have memory foam built in and are so comfy! I have back problems and these are one of the few shoes I can stand in all day and still feel comfortable. They are worth a try!

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I second Sperrys. They're casual but cute enough to wear with shorts or skirts. Plus, who doesn't love a nautical theme?

I wear a lot of ballet flats and enjoy having "athletic flats" or "yoga flats" for Disney parks. I've had a few pairs of reasonably priced Calvin Klein flats that I just wear to death. My latest pair are called "Romie" and they're super comfortable. Here's a link to them on Amazon. It sounds like you might need more support than that, though. Have you looked in to special insoles?

 

[PineapplePrincess]

I love my Fit Flops. They are as supportive as sneakers, but come in some really cute styles. I have several pairs that I have collected over the years. They can be kind of pricey, but totally worth it for me, as I can also wear them to work in warmer weather.

 

[laxchik18]

I usually use sneakers but I also sometimes use flip flops with memory foam because the rubber ones destroy my feet. I love the memory foam ones! I know Adidas and Nike makes them

 

[Courtnie1811]

Hi all!

I am looking for a comfortable shoe option to support my feet and back with the amount of walking at the parks that's not sneakers.

Okay so I know this topic has been discussed before. In fact I posted a thread a few years ago about it because I struggle with this so much.
We're going to WDW for our honeymoon this coming Fall and I desperately want to be able to wear skirts and dresses to stay cool. But sneakers and dresses don't mix. Plus their hot.

My problem is that I have some feet and back concerns. My feet become sore very easily and as a result of improper shoes and then my back hurts as well. It's happened a million times to me at WDW while wearing sandals. I don't want this to happen again on any trip, especially our honeymoon but I'd like to wear a type of shoe other than sneakers.

What options have you guys found comfortable that support my back and feet that are not sneakers? Something tried and true that always works for you? And no crocs please! Crocs hurt my feet walking in them with not even close to the amount of walking at Disney so those are out.

Thank you!!! Your input is greatly appreciated!

Get some TOMS. Once you wear them in they are awesome! They fit well and I'm like you I don't like wearing socks or sneakers. Also they are cute with dresses.

 

[Courtnie1811]

http://www.toms.com/

 

[littleroo]

We are all about Tevas! Love them!

 

[SAV]

My wife and both kids wear flip flops the entire time at WDW. I can't stand that thing between my toes, so I wear my regular sandals the whole time. I do have 2 pair that I bring and occasionally switch off if I feel any type of pain from my plantar facsitis start up. None of us have ever had blisters.

 

[Redhawk]

I just ordered a pair of Crocs Cleo sandals specifically for my upcoming Disney trip. They have some nice colors (I'm getting navy and seafoam this time because it seemed "Disney"). I have been wearing this specific type of Crocs every summer for about 7 years and they are amazingly comfortable. I've worn them on three prior Disney trips and they felt great even at the end of the day. There is basically no "break-in" period, they feel good from the first and you can wear them ALL day and not get blisters. Ok, once I got a blister on my little toe and just used moleskin for a couple of days -- I also highly recommend moleskin. An added benefit is that they are made of that Crocs material that washes and dries easily and quickly.

Crocs now has a new style called "Cleo II" which I have not tried because I don't like the look, but you can still buy the original Cleo. If you want the Crocs be sure to buy from a real Crocs store or online at Crocs.com. There are a lot of counterfeits out there and they are not as well made. One last little secret: Crocs sells them as "women's" sandals but my husband tried a pair of mine once and has used them ever since! He has scoliosis and some back pain after a lot of walking, and the Crocs Cleos helped him spend whole days in the parks with no problems.

 

[disneysince71]

My teenage daughters and I wear Toms. They are so comfortable and look great!

 

[Bama14]

I mostly alternate Yellowbox flip flops throughout by trip. I never get blisters and usually stay fairly comfortable walking around the whole day.

 

[93boomer]

My DD got me a pair of chacos long time ago. They are my go-to shoe at WDW.

 

[dreamfinder]

Kind of a side note: I've heard people speak positively about using moleskin. What exactly are the benefits if that?

Ooh alright hmm maybe I should slip that into my shoes while at Disney for good measure. Thanks!

Moleskin is normally put around the blistered area. Typically in a doughnut shape to help prevent further irritation to the spot. It's kind of like a chamois cloth in texture. I guess you could put some on beforehand, but it won't do anything that a good pair of socks wouldn't do. Good socks would normally be something meant for running or hiking, not a pair of cotton socks you got in a 6 pack. Those are meant to be worn over long periods of movement and are often specially designed to help reduce rubbing and irritation.

I say this time and time again, it doesn't matter what you wear. What matters is how well broken in they are, and how often you wear them beforehand. Unless you happen to work in a job where you are standing on your feet/walking around for 12 hours a day, you will get as much benefit (if not more) from spending time walking and standing beforehand as you would the best shoes in the world. Most Americans aren't used to walking/standing up all day, so prepping your body beforehand can do wonders. Beyond that, I love my Birkenstocks and FiveFingers. Birks are fairly versatile - can be dressed up or go casual, but also provide great support when broken in correctly. FiveFingers don't provide any support at all, but I hate wearing shoes, so they work well for me. Keen, Teva, and Sanuk all have comfortable practical shoes that can go either way in the wardrobe as well. But once again, buying them 6 months out and wearing them constantly beforehand will be a life saver. Start off with trips to the mall, then add in walks around the neighborhood,half day field trips, and heck, even through in a full day at a local amusement park just to get yourself ready.

 

[Sarah Rae]

I'm going to jump on the Teva bandwagon! I think they're great. I have two pairs of the old model of these and they are the best. Very supportive, and cute enough to wear with a dress. My mom also fell in love with them, and she has a ton of foot problems. They're the only sandal she can wear comfortably, and she even got a few pairs of the wedge version to wear to work (after not being able to wear anything close to a heel for a few years now!) I wear them at Disney, and also took them on my 4 week backpacking trip through Europe last summer. So comfortable! I don't know how different the new model is though.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I say this time and time again, it doesn't matter what you wear. What matters is how well broken in they are, and how often you wear them beforehand. Unless you happen to work in a job where you are standing on your feet/walking around for 12 hours a day, you will get as much benefit (if not more) from spending time walking and standing beforehand as you would the best shoes in the world.

I have a different opinion on this. I just won't bother with shoes that need "breaking in." If they're not comfortable from the start, I won't buy them. Good shoes should fit your feet comfortably and without restriction the very first time you put them on.

 

[aristo_cat]

IDK how much arch support you need... but my Tom's never fail me. But it sounds like you just need a good walking sneaker.

 

[Redhawk]

Unless you happen to work in a job where you are standing on your feet/walking around for 12 hours a day, you will get as much benefit (if not more) from spending time walking and standing beforehand as you would the best shoes in the world.

I think it's a great idea to spend time walking to "build up" your ability to walk so you won't get so worn down at Disney. On the other hand, I sit at a desk all day and don't do that much walking for exercise, but I had no trouble walking 7-8 hours a day (with breaks of course!) in the parks for 4 days. The shoes you wear DO matter.

 

[dreamfinder]

I have a different opinion on this. I just won't bother with shoes that need "breaking in." If they're not comfortable from the start, I won't buy them. Good shoes should fit your feet comfortably and without restriction the very first time you put them on.

A shoe being comfortable from the start is different than a shoe that needs breaking in. A shoe can fit you perfectly, and have the softest footbed ever. However, once you start wearing them for a few hours, you may find that a spot in the lace area flexes in such a way when you walk that it starts to rub on your foot. Wearing shoes like this at the parks would most likely lead to a blister after a half day or so. But breaking them in would typically cause the area surrounding that hot spot to break in enough so that the whole shoe flexes without causing the irritation. This is the reason why runners typically won't do a long distance race in a brand new pair of shoes, but rather trying to put 30-40 miles on them first in shorter runs, even if they are the same exact model shoe they have been using for their longer runs.

 

[polynesiangirl]

I have pretty flat feet but weirdly I do really well in flip flops at WDW. I cannot stand to have hot sneakers on my feet when I'm walking all day, especially when we go in summer, so unless it's too cold for flip flops I almost always wear them (usually Reef brand.) I understand that that's probably not an option for some people, though I will say I've been really surprised at how few blisters, etc, I've had to deal with since I started wearing them. My feet are still super tired at the end of the day, but nothing unusual for WDW.

Sounds like you got a ton of good advice in this thread. Hopefully one of these options will be the right fit for you!