Your feet are so important at Disney! Let’s talk about taking care of your feet at Disneyland. As usual, I’ll be putting my nurse’s cap on and share some awesome podiatrical tips! Also, podiatrical isn’t a word. 🙂
Because feet are SO important this is one of my favorite Disneyland Tips posts (be sure to check in there for ideas on saving money, what to do when it’s busy, even matching Disney shirts).
Of course, the best tip for happy feet is to wait in line less — which you can do with my Disney day planner:
2022 Update: Disneyland is OPEN to ALL VISITORS. It is currently requiring masks in INDOOR locations only. The Genie is now at Disneyland, learn all about it here. Get your trips planned for the year — save the most and get the best hotel when you book early! Use Coupon code CURLS10 to save an extra $10 when booking hotel & tickets.
I LOVE staying at a walkable hotel, and talking through what we want with Get Away Today is one of my favorite tips. Remember you can save an extra $10 (online or on the phone) with CURLS10. And yes, I have used them since 1998.
Foot Care for a Good Disney Trip!
When you’re walking tens of thousands of steps over varied terrain, along with LONG waits in line (be sure to pick the best time to go)– let’s keep your feet happy with my top 5 top tips for top toes!
BTW, a lot of this stuff is items I pack for Disneyland, or items I bring into the park! Make SURE you have a good bag so you can keep good alignment as well!
Use Great Shoes!
Shoes are the absolute foundation of happy Disney feet.
I wore these for a few years and really liked them. However, after a LOT of trial and error (I’ve bought a LOT of shoes) — I refer these and these.
GO TO A RUNNING STORE, and try stuff on, it made ALL the difference!
Bonus Pro Tip: If your feet are CLOSE to wise, consider getting wide (and often I have to get that in a shoe store).
A few tips on shoes at Disneyland:
- Be sure to “wear” them in at home! Don’t take brand new shoes to Disneyland!
- Don’t take shoes you’re not SURE of to Disneyland — make sure you’ve worn them a LOT before going to the park!
- If you love a pair, but you’re not sure they have enough support — grab an insole to wear with them (Wiiv’s also makes custom insoles made JUST for you!) — but again, try the insole before you take it! NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!
- I like to alternate footwear so my feet don’t have the same shoes every day — it seems to help!
Shoes are so important, I think they should even be worked in your Disneyland budget!
Should you wear flip flops at Disneyland?
I know a lot of people love wearing flip flops at amusement parks.
I found a great brand called Wiiv’s that makes custom flip flops with tons of support and quality. I love mine (and I hate all other flip flop brands) — so, they might be worth checking-out!
However, open-toed shoes do have the issue of strollers running over toes or gettings stepped on, so something to think about.
Remove Friction
Glide is a brand name for an anti-chaffing stick. It is the most well-known, but there are a few other brands out there as well.
You’d apply this in areas that your shoe or sock is rubbing wrong.
I actually put this between my toes so that there isn’t any painful “fights” between toes. I also put it on the bottom of my socks just to eliminate any extra problems.
I put glide on in the hotel room, but I carry this stuff with me. FYI, I Loooove this stuff if you’ve had friction, really helps it heal fast!
It can also be used in any other area — like I talk about a bit in my Overweight at Disneyland post.
** I also found that there is a Disneyworld rash…. true story?
Carry moleskin for happy Disney feet
I carry a strip of moleskin and a small pair of scissors in my Disneyland bag (btw Knotts was unamused by my child safety scissors and wanted me to take them back to my car — so something to be aware of at theme parks).
It is a more substantial way to stop any rubbing on your feet.
It has come in handy a few times, and isn’t very large, so I love having it in there.
You can also carry the pre-formed kind (but they don’t work as well with kids, in my estimations), or some people use & swear by duct tape!
Rest Frequently for happy Disney feet
Don’t feel like you have to go, go, go. That makes the Disney magic leave really quick. Sit down. Have a snack, people watch. Consider what you’d like to do the rest of the day.
I love to get a raspberry macaroon and people watch at the Jolly Holiday, there are almost ALWAYS tables available there or at the plaza inn, and it’s a great spot! Pick a place with great food!
I find that the Maxpass helps me to spend less time walking/standing in line — it’s one of my favorite perks of it!
Stretching for happy Disney feet
I have Plantar Fasciitis and it really helps to stretch out my calves to maintain happy feet. I often stretch while I am in line, and I don’t care what other people think, because I get so miserable if I don’t.
I also try to do some yoga in the morning to keep my muscles pliable!
Use Drugs
Sometimes we say it’s our “feet” when in reality it is all the muscles of our feet/legs. Some people swear by Magnesium, or tonic water. Might be worth trying it if it super miserable.
I have also tried some essential oils for my sore muscles and found some good luck with it.
I talk a bit about all these kinds of things in my restless legs post.
Bring Extra Socks
I like to throw a pair of thin socks in my bag. They don’t take up much room. That way if my other socks get wet or are somehow rubbing wrong I can try some new socks without much ordeal. It’s also come in luck to share these sucks with a friend or kid at the park. 🙂
Pro Tip: You can also try compression socks. They come in several levels of compression, but I wear them at work and I like how they support my body during the day!
What to Do If It’s Raining
It was POURING last time I was at Disneyland, and I REALLY didn’t want wet feet & shoes, so I bought a pair of these and just LOVED THEM.
I mean, LOVED. THEM.
Are they crazy sturdy? no. But I needed to wear my good supporting shoes, and also keep them dry — and that type of thing worked great. Honestly, if I had gotten a lower silicon shoe cover, I think rain would’ve gotten into our shoes and it woudn’t have been as helpful. I did get my son a pair that were too big (he wouldn’t answer my text about his shoe size), which was annoying — so definitely go by your shoe size.
They were easy to fit in our bags & luggage, and easy to put on/take off when it rained.
If you liked this post, be sure to grab my Disney packing list — and check out my other Disney posts below that!
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