One of the LEAST magical things about Disney World is how much your feet can hurt at the end of a long day in the parks. Each of the four parks is pretty big, so you’re likely to walk a long way, no matter where you’re visiting.
Our reporters — who are in the parks every day — walk about 10 to 12 MILES every day. On busy days, and especially if they’re park hopping, they’ll walk up to 15 miles. Needless to say, you’re going to want some high-quality footwear for your Disney World vacation. But how do you know which shoes to choose? Here’s what the DFB readers said when we asked them which shoes they wear to the parks.
We reached out to our readers on Twitter to ask them what shoes they wear to Disney World. We got a LOT of answers, and we compiled the most popular ones here. Keep in mind that everyone’s feet are different, so what works great for one person might not be a good choice for another. Apparently, glass slippers are perfect for Cinderella, but we’re pretty sure we wouldn’t even make it to her Castle at the end of Main Street, U.S.A., if we were wearing them.
Do your research and try on a few different kinds of shoes before making your decision. The brands listed here are some of the tried-and-tested ones, so this is at least a great starting point on your Disney World shoe journey. Most of the answers we got were in one of two categories: sneakers or sandals.
Sneakers
Sneakers are a great option if you’re trying to move quickly through the parks and give your feet plenty of support. We saw a lot of different brands mentioned, so we’ll highlight some of them here. There are some runners on our team here at DFB who have strong opinions about their shoes, so we understand that you might already have a tennis shoe that you adore. If your favorite workout shoe isn’t listed here, it still might be the best option for your feet! Go with what’s familiar and comfortable for the best results in the parks.
Sketchers
Sketchers is a pretty safe choice if you’re looking for a generic, comfortable sneaker. There are a lot of different options and styles, so you can choose which shape, color, and style works best for you. We found some Women’s Sketchers Sneakers on Amazon that cost $45.95 for most sizes, and the neutral black color scheme means they’ll match just about any Disney outfit you dream up.
You might prefer the slip-on style, like the Men’s Equalizer Slip-On Loafer that we found on Amazon for $75.
Both of these sneakers get great reviews, and they also both have memory foam inserts inside to keep your feet comfy. The loafers are also air-cooled, which is a huge bonus on those hot Orlando days.
Click Here to Shop for Sketchers on Amazon
Adidas Boosts
Another sneaker that some of our readers swear by are the Adidas Boosts. There are a lot of options on Amazon for these shoes, ranging in price from $100 to about $300 (and even higher, for some shoes). Since they’re running shoes, these will be a little more expensive than normal sneakers. We found a pair of Performance Women’s Ultraboost X shoes that cost $159.95, which we chose because they had 4.5 stars with more than 8,000 reviews.
The Men’s Ultraboost Shoes come in a lot of different colors, and they cost about $130.
A member of our DFB team ran in Boosts for a long time and LOVES these shoes as well. They’re very breathable and pretty light, which makes them great for a long park day. Some reviewers noted that the shoes were best for people with average or narrow feet, and if you have wider feet, make sure you specifically get a “wide” size or try a different shoe.
Click Here to Shop for Adidas Boosts on Amazon
Hoka
One of the biggest trends in athletic shoes right now is Hokas. These shoes have been around for a while, but they’ve recently exploded into the running community. A DFB team member and huge Hoka fan reports that the shoes might look bulky and big, but they’re actually the lightest running shoes they’ve ever worn. These shoes have a lot of great support but aren’t too restrictive either.
We found a pair of Hoka One One Women’s Shoes on Amazon for about $180 to $200, depending on the size and color you choose. The popularity of Hokas makes them a little more expensive than other sneakers, so these might be best for people who are looking for a great athletic shoe to use all the time, not just for one Disney World trip.
A very similar pair of shoes can be found for Men’s sizes. The Hoka One One Men’s Shoes are between $150 and $200, again depending on size and color.
Click Here to Check Out Hoka Shoes on Amazon
Brooks
Another well-established and highly rated running shoe are the Brooks, which a lot of our readers choose as their go-to parks shoe. Some of the most popular Brooks shoes are the Ghost or Glycerin series. The Brooks Men’s Ghost Shoes cost about $130 on Amazon and have a 4.5-star rating with more than 13,000 reviews.
We also found an older model of the Women’s Glycerin Shoes, which cost about $100 since there’s a new model out now. This is a good trick to use on most popular running shoes brands: if you can get an older model, they’ll likely be much cheaper than the newest ones, and they’re still very high-quality shoes.
These shoes still have a lot of great reviews, and the price is great for a good pair of running shoes.
Click Here to Shop for Brooks on Amazon
Nikes
Can you even talk about sneakers without mentioning Nikes? Although they’re not always a top choice for runners, Nikes are great for walking around, and there are plenty of options and styles available. We found a basic Nike Women’s Running Shoe from Amazon that cost between $70 and $140, depending on the size and style you choose.
One of the highest-rated Men’s Nike shoes was their Tanjun Sneakers, which are made to be breathable and lightweight.
These cost around $100 for a pair.
Click Here to Shop for Nikes on Amazon
Sandals
We’re switching gears now to the sandals side of things. A lot of our readers said that they at least packed a pair of sandals in their parks day bag, but many people have super comfortable sandals that they can wear all day in the parks. Since they’re open and you don’t need to wear socks with them, sandals might be a great option, particularly for hot days in Florida. The sandals listed here are some of the ones that readers say will stay comfortable all day long.
Birkenstocks
Birkenstock is a popular sandals brand with a lot of different styles available. Some of our readers wear these all day long in Disney World and have no problems at all! Other readers reported that Birks hurt their feet, so they switched to one of the other sandals that we listed here. It’s all a matter of trying things out and finding the best shoe for your feet. We found some highly reviewed Birkenstocks for women called the Mayari Sandals. These shoes cost $78, and they have three straps instead of the typical two that you’ll find on most Birkenstocks.
The Milano Unisex Sandal has a backstrap as well, which provides a little extra security and might help keep the sandal from flopping around too much as you walk.
The Milano sandals cost between $90 and $140, depending on the size and style you choose.
Click Here to Shop for Birkenstocks on Amazon
Chacos
If you want the best tan lines ever after your Disney vacation, definitely go for Chacos. These sandals have rubber soles and adjustable straps so that you can change the size and have them fit your feet perfectly. They’re also very handy for rainy days since they’re waterproof! The Women’s ZCloud Sports Sandals cost about $90 and come in a lot of different, fun patterns.
There are a lot of patterns and colors in the Men’s Classic Sandals as well.
These shoes cost $68.26.
Click Here to Shop for Chacos on Amazon
Sanuks
You might not think that you can wear flip-flops all day in Disney World, but some of our readers claim that Sanuk’s flip-flops are the best Disney World shoe out there. The Sanuk Yoga Mat flip-flops only cost about $30, and they have 4.5 stars with more than 19,000 reviews.
The shoe actually feels like you’re walking on a puffy yoga mat, and the straps are cushioned as well for comfort.
Click Here to Shop for Sanuks on Amazon
TEVAs
Teva sandals are similar to Chacos. They have a foam sole and adjustable straps for maximum comfort, and they dry quickly after getting wet. We found Women’s Comfortable Quick-Drying Casual Sport Sandal, which cost $45 on Amazon.
The Men’s Hurricane Sandals have a foam insole and rubber outsole, which makes them extra waterproof.
You can get these for about $60 on Amazon.
Click Here to Shop for TEVAs on Amazon
Borns
If you want to dress up a little on one of your park days, go for some Born sandals. These come in some more dressy styles, but they’re still very durable, supportive, and comfortable. The Men’s Wichita sandals have leather straps and a cushioned insole that’s also moisture-wicking. You can get some for $99.95.
We found a ton of different styles in the women’s sandals, but one of our team members loves the Fleet shoes. We’d recommend going with a flat sole (rather than a heel) for the most comfortable option.
You can get these shoes for $67.50 on Amazon.
Click Here to Shop for Borns on Amazon
OOFOS
One DFB reader said that they can’t usually wear flip flops, but the OOFOS flip flops were some of the most comfortable shoes they’d ever worn in Disney World. OOFOS are recovery shoes, so they’re made to be gentle on your feet and put less stress on your joints. The OOlala Sandals for Women come in several different colors, and you can get them on Amazon for $69.95.
The OOriginal Sandal has sizes for both women and men, and it’s available for around $50, depending on the size and style you choose.
In case you’re already in the parks and need a new pair of shoes, these sandals are also for sale in Disney Springs at the Fit2Run Running Store.
Click Here to Shop for OOFOS on Amazon
Other
Several of our readers mentioned Crocs as their shoe of choice in Disney World, but they also said that these shoes get very slippery in the rain. If you’re used to wearing Crocs, the waterproof shoes could be a great choice.
Some readers mentioned the Literide Clogs as a good option for a Disney parks day. These shoes are available in men and women’s sizes for about $40.
Click Here to Shop for Crocs on Amazon
We wore Crocs around the parks for an entire day just to see if they really are worth it! You can read our thoughts on them here!
General Advice
Whatever shoes you choose, make sure to bring a couple of options just in case your feet start to hurt during your vacation. If you have some backup options, you can switch them out on different days to give your feet a break from one kind of shoe.
Make sure to bring some form of sandals (or other waterproof shoe) into the parks if the forecast is showing rain so that you can pop them on and avoid walking around in soaking-wet shoes all day. Extra socks are never a bad idea, either!
If you have a pair of shoes that you love but just aren’t quite supportive enough (or you want to add a little extra support to some already good shoes), you can always add some inserts. Amazon has Heavy Duty Pain Relief Inserts available for $14.95.
In general, the best shoes you can wear are ones that you wear all the time. If you know that you can walk several miles in a shoe, that’s going to be your best bet for Disney World. Remember to break in any new shoes before your trip so that they’re as comfortable as possible, and pack some moleskin and band-aids in case you get blisters during the day.
Hopefully, this helps as you’re planning your packing list for the next Disney World vacation. Keep following DFB for more tips and advice as you plan!
Click Here to See Our Ultimate Disney World Packing List