What are the Best Shoes to Wear to Orlando Theme Parks?

We see lots of posts online asking for advice on the best clothes and shoes to wear when out and about in Orlando and the Theme Parks; so we thought we’d share our recommendations for the most stylish and comfortable ways to get the best out of Orlando.

Of course, we all know that planning your holiday outfits is half the fun, so enjoy the shopping; and use our tips to make sure you look and feel fabulous while making those memories!

Part 1 - Shoes

We’ve noticed lots of people worry about what they should wear on their feet to keep a bounce in their step throughout the day. After all you don’t want to be limited by your shoes – especially when many visitors report racking up 25-30,000 steps each day. That’s 13.3 miles or half a marathon, so you’d best be prepared!

For most of your outings you might want to consider sturdy, lightweight, supportive shoes with good arch support; but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style for practicality. There’s plenty of choice out there for men, women and children. We’re here to help you choose.

First off: the number one tip from frequent park-goers is “DO NOT wear new shoes to park”. Take that one seriously: and remember - if you buy your shoes well in advance of your trip to wear them in, you get bragging rights to tell everyone what you bought them for!

Important tip number two is to take more than one pair of park shoes, so that you can swap your shoes round daily – which is a good reason to buy really lightweight shoes (treat your baggage allowance kindly ;-)).

As it does often rain in Florida, and the atmosphere is humid, you’ll find breathable shoes are a good call – and waterproof too (yes they are both possible). But a really useful thought is to have packable flip flops with you for when your feet are tired or your shoes get wet; although you should avoid slip on shoes when going on rides as they can be lost easily.

You will need flip flops or pool sliders for beach or poolside activities. These are easily bought in Florida of course.

Here are our tips to Style It Out to the max!

The Trainer Trendies:

Trainers with great support, that are lightweight and breathable. All available online in the UK and at varying budgets:

• Brooks Adrenalines - £££.
• Brooks Ghost - £££
• ON Cloud - £££
• Hokas - £££
• Vionics - ££
• Sketchers - ££
• Ryka - ££
• Adidas Ultraboosts - £££
• Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38 - ££
• New Balance - ££
• Clarks Cloudsteppers trainers - £

The Sandal Super Shoes

• Ecco Sandals - ££
• Tevas - ££
• Clarks Cloudsteppers sandals - £
• Keen sandals - ££
• Birkenstock Sandals - £££

The Leftfield Left Feet

• Sandals style Crocs - £
• Crocs clogs with socks - £
• Birkenstock clogs - £££
• ProStep flip flops - £
• Havianas flip flops (for pools not parks) - £

The Feet Facilitators

Some great ideas to prevent or help blisters and sore feet:

• Compeed blister plasters – the very best for blisters
• Rock Tape or Nexcare Tape - kinesiology tape for extra support if you have any problems with legs or tendons.
• Inserts for plantar fasciitis – try searching for Orthotic Arch Support insoles – there are loads out there from £ to £££
• New Skin Spray On – liquid bandage spray for minor abrasions or blisters
• Calming lavender cream – for when you get home
• Compression socks – if you get swollen feet these will help to avoid the worst.
• Socks – yes even with sandals – keep up the great British tradition while avoiding blisters – plus its very current don’t you know! You might want to up your sock game though – and go for sparkly, coloured or even Disney themed...
• Plastic bag for wet shoes when it rains
• Spare lightweight flipflops for a break – and when it’s rained (see above)
• Lanacane Anti-friction Gel – apply before shoes and socks to avoid blisters in the first place – it’s what the professionals use.

For the less energetic

If you’re quite young or less mobile, you might want to think about ways to make your life easier when you’re out and about – so small children, remember to ask the Grown Ups to buy a cheap buggy – or use one if there’s one already in your villa (see our blog on what to bring with baby here). And here’s a shout out to anyone whose mobility isn’t up to lots of walking – Debbie’s Villas can supply a foldable mobility scooter to your villa to make life easier.

There is good news too from Disney this week – Minnie Vans will be returning to Disney parks this summer – these are bookable on-site taxis that can be booked via phone or app – and accessible vehicles are bookable for mobility impaired visitors.