Best Shoes for Disney World: From Experts and Everyone
Going to Disney World is one of the most wonderful experiences for just about anyone (at least, according to me, a guy who writes about Disney). However, it’s not always the greatest experience for your feet. And, as the song says, your feet bones are connected to your knee bones, hips, back, and happiness.
It’s no surprise that one of the most frequent questions asked in forums is, what are the best shoes for Disney World? You might be racking up 10 miles a day in the park (25,000 steps, sometimes), and if you’re not used to that, it can be rough.
So many things going on here. Stranger with our phone didn’t bother to center us. Half of us are using jazz hands. My shirt is amazing. I’ll pick up my water bottle. Figment and Spaceship Earth are beautiful, but most importantly, we all have shoes on.
Methodology
I reached out to podiatrists, physical therapists, personal trainers, and other shoe experts to give you the details on how to pick the best shoes. Then, I tallied up the responses across Facebook and Reddit about what people prefer in the parks. Now I offer you the best advice for shoes on your next trip for the most magical marathon on Earth.
We go pretty deep into the details here, so if you want to skip around, here is the table of contents:
How to Choose the Best Shoes for Disney According to Experts
The Best Shoes for Disney According to Forums
The Best Sneakers for Disney World
The Best Sandals for Disney World
Conclusion and Further Suggestions
Or you can skip the article entirely and go straight to my Amazon list of best shoes. These are affiliate links, so if you use a link to make a purchase, I’ll buy more shoes for my kids.
How to Choose the Best Shoes for Disney According to Experts
Podiatrist Recommendations for Disney Shoes
Dr. Mohammad Usman
Dr. Mohammad Usman, a podiatrist in the Chicago area, added this expertise:
Pronation and Supination at Disney World
Pronation, or overpronation, is the inward roll of the foot when walking or running, which is commonly seen in people with low arches or flat feet. This causes the foot to roll inward excessively and can lead to knee and ankle pain. Pronators should opt for more stability or motion control shoes that help correct this inward role, so having a firmer midsole and extra arch support.
Supination, or underpronation, is commonly seen in people with high arches. It is essentially the outward roll of the foot during normal motions, placing higher degrees of stress on the outer edges of the feet. For supinators, well-cushioned shoes that provide extra support to absorb shock and reduce pressure on the outer edges are recommended, alongside a flexible but semi-riding midsole and a wider toe box.
Weight and Flexibility of Shoe for Disney World
Ensure when choosing a shoe that it is lightweight but not extremely flexible. Extremely flexible shoes require the foot to work more. The rule of thumb is, “either the foot does the work or the shoe does the work.” Some of the best brands are:
Hoka
Brooks
New Balance
On Cloud
If you have specific foot issues, I would recommend these brands:
Orthofeet
Annodyne
Dr. Comfort
Vionic
Also, make sure the shoes are breathable.
Socks for Disney World
One more thing to be concerned about is the type of SOCKS they are going to be wearing, especially if they are diabetic. I would recommend theme park guests to grab a pair of diabetic socks or moisture wicking socks to prevent blisters/helps keep feet dry.
Custom Orthotics for Disney World
Disney World guests might also consider getting custom orthotics. I recommend Protofoot.com.
A Chiropractor’s Advice for Disney World Shoes
Brent Wells, a chiropractor in Alaska, offered this advice:
Prioritize Foot Alignment with Arch Support
Opt for shoes that provide arch support to maintain healthy foot alignment. This is especially beneficial for conditions like plantar fasciitis or flat feet.
How to Check: Look for shoes with a footbed that follows the arch of your foot, ensuring stability and comfort.
Secure Fit for Injury Prevention
Choose shoes that fit securely to prevent discomfort, rubbing, or potential injuries from walks.
How to Check: Walk around in the shoes at the store. Ensure your heels stay in place without slipping and there's no tightness or pinching in the toe area.
Toms probably weren’t my best choice for this style of walking. They didn’t hurt, but the tread fell off.
A Physical Therapist’s Disney Shoe Advice
Dylan Pitts, a physical therapist based in Loganville, GA, told me that each foot is different. It really depends on your particular footprint. You need shoes based on the level of arch support you need. The easiest way to find out is to visit a running store and get assessed. Then, you can try on popular brands that fit your particular needs.
This is exactly what I did. I learned that I’m an oddball that supinates (my ankles turn out), so I need neutral shoes with less support to keep me from rolling my ankles.
Our first trip to Disney. We did not understand footwear. Except me. My Mizunos were fine but old.
The Best Shoes for Disney According to Forums
For some of you, you hear the advice, but you don’t have time to try on tons of pairs of shoes. Testing several pairs of shoes is especially difficult if you’re planning on buying them online. Nobody wants to buy and return several pairs of shoes.
I still recommend getting fitted a running store, or you can just examine the wear patterns of an old pair. For instance, since I supinate, I wear out the outsides of my soles faster than the insides.
But once you know what type of shoe you need, I combed through tons of forums and hundreds of recommendations to find what are the most preferred shoes. As is typical with this kind of research, people weren’t often specific about the model of shoe but only the brand. For instance, they might recommend Brooks instead of Brooks Ghosts.
Here is a table of the most recommended brands of shoes.
Sneakers or Sandals for Disney World
You’ll notice that sneaker brands like Brooks and Hoka are interspersed with sandals brands like Crocs and Teva. There’s plenty of debate and preference differences. Advocates for sneakers will say that they are better designed for the mileage, protect your feet from the sun, and less likely to cause blisters.
These Mizunos are waterproof, match my Buzz shirt, and protect me from unprovoked attacks better than sandals.
Advocates for sandals at Disney World point to them not being as hot and easier to dry in the rain or water rides. Therefore, it’s up to you for what you prefer. My only word of caution for sandals is that you might want ones with backs on them. You’ll be less likely to trip or lose one on a ride. However, few rides leave your feet suspended at Disney as opposed to Universal Studios. If you’re prone to injury, there are plenty of sandals that advertise the same level of arch support and durability as sneakers.
I dug further into the data to find the best shoes within the recommended brands to put this list together.
The Best Sneakers for Disney World
There are tons of sneakers/running shoe brands and models recommended, but I’ll give you the top 5 referenced in my research.
Brooks Ghost
My wife swears by the Brook Ghosts. They give her enough support, not as much support as I give her though. I prefer the Pureflow, but they don’t make those any more.
Brooks Glycerin
These are a higher support shoe than the Ghosts. Get fitted.
Hoka One One
These are the main model of Hokas and the only ones mentioned by model.
On Cloud
On has rapidly grown in popularity the last few years. I honestly didn’t know until I started working on this article that the company was called On and Cloud was the model. I originally thought the logo was a Q C, then O C, now I realize it’s O N. Anyway, if everyone who recommended On Cloud’s knew that it was a model, then the Cloud is the most popular.
On Cloudmonster
The Cloudmonster is popular because it is more cushion than the Clouds, but heavier and not as good for speed (rope dropping). These were my mom’s favorite shoes before she had foot surgery. Now she uses more neutral shoes.
The Best Sandals for Disney World
Like I mentioned earlier, sandals might be for you if you want a better shoe for the temperature, rain/water rides, or just want something cuter. Here’s the most popular recommendations.
Crocs
Far and away Crocs were the most popular sandal. This might be partially due to the fact that you can buy Disney ones. They are also comfortable and dry quickly. I bought them when they first came out 20 years ago, then decided I didn’t like them, and now I can’t bring myself to jump back on the bandwagon.
My daughter’s Disney Crocs. And her pink pajamas have penguins at the bottom (iykyk).
Tevas
Tevas and Chacos are the “I want to hike in sandals” go-to for camp counselors everywhere. With hiking boot level support and adjustable fit, it makes sense to take them to Disney World. And add quick drying to the list.
Hey Dudes
Hey Dudes are latest and most popular in a long line of flip flops with canvas shoes sewn to them. I believe it began with Sanuk (which are also great, and there’s a store in Disney Springs). Almost every surfer footwear company has a version, but Hey Dudes win in popularity.
Conclusion and Further Suggestions
One final suggestion that many people on Facebook had was to bring multiple pairs of shoes. The logic behind this idea is that the pressure points will be different, so one part of your foot can heal while you’re wearing out a different spot the next day. I don’t know if this is medically valid, but it’s what I do when I go, and it works for me.
Hopefully, this list will help you pick a good pair to enjoy the most magical place on Earth. But whatever you pick BREAK THEM IN!
If you have a favorite pair of shoes or more advice I left out, state in the comments.
For further packing suggestions, check out my best portable fans and best portable chargers.
