I’m Not Ashamed To Tell You About My Disney World Habit, But It Sure Does Make My Boss Nervous

I’m not gonna lie to you — a trip to Disney World can be super rough on your feet, and choosing the right shoes for both comfort and support is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make before your vacation.

We talk a lot about the products we bring and outfits we choose to wear at Disney World that won’t fail us halfway through our day. So as embarrassing as this may sound — I’m calling myself out for going against the singular piece of advice we harp about the most.

Dear AllEars reader, I have failed you miserably. No seriously, you’ll be popping popcorn at home JUST to throw it at your screen when I finally spit out what I have to say.

Our team spends countless hours researching, product testing, and even price watching TONS of items we think will be helpful to you while you’re spending your vacation at the “most magical place on Earth.” And undeniably the most important of those packing recommendations comes in the form of footwear in the Disney World parks.

Our team has seen and done it all — sandals, tennis shoes, slip-ons like Crocs — you name it, we’ve seen it and worn it to tell you all about it. You see, even with as many shoe types that have been put before me (along with proven results and reviews to back up their superior ratings) I just can’t shake my ONE QUIRKY HABIT. Flip flops are the ONLY shoes I wear to Disney World (and it makes my boss SUPER uneasy that I’m telling you this)!

Did you break out the popcorn to throw my way just yet? Good, we got THAT out of the way now! But in complete seriousness, flip flops are the only shoes I trust to keep me going through the day. I get it — you’ve got all the questions about my divisive take. And the question I get asked most by the people who already know this about me is “Why?” I think it really comes down to how relaxed I feel.

When I’m in flip flops, I stay pretty grounded with the terrain. Does this always work in my favor? Well, no, but some of the best reporting I’ve been able to offer the team and ultimately pass along to you, has come from this one decision. For starters, I’m able to tell which Disney World parks I think will wear your feet out the fastest and where/when you could use an extra break during the day especially when you’re bouncing between Lightning Lanes on opposite sides of the park.

Additionally, when we have bad weather, I’m able to continue my day with wet feet. As backwards as that might initially sound, I know I’ll eventually dry out as well as successfully decrease my chance at forming blisters from soggy shoes and socks that have been rubbing against my feet and ankles all day.

Admittedly though, the flip side of this is that I’ve also learned the good, bad, and the ugly about the slickest spots when wet around Disney World and learned the lurking dangers of what bubble wand residue does to passers by when left on the sidewalk during a rainstorm. There’s also that chance you could walk into a store to get out of the rain and feel like you’ve immediately traded being pelted by rain for standing on a block of ice the way I’ve experienced myself sliding around a time or two on tiled floors.

But truly my original reason for ditching the tennis shoes and sneakers is a call back to how much I love riding rides at Disney World. I’ve been visiting since before I was able to walk and one of my favorite things about the parks is the rides. However, I wasn’t a super fan of water rides that would get you completely soaked until I decided to switch things up. As an adult, now that I’ve said “goodbye” to the full coverage footwear in favor of some of the most basic style of flip flop you’ll ever lay eyes on, I’m able to enjoy the water rides much more comfortably than I did before. From there, I decided that the rest of my visits to Disney World would be the same and I’ve never felt better.

Obviously, this is where I put in my own disclaimer that I truly understand that this was completely a personal choice that just happened to serve me best for my level of walking and comfort. I also realize that this strategy isn’t going to work for everyone and certainly not for every trip. While I do love some easy, breezy flip flops to keep me feeling free, when the temperature gets too wet or too cold (and my husband won’t let me walk out the door without changing) I do occasionally swap out the flip flops for slip-on shoes like Toms or Bobs. I’ve been committing to wearing mostly flip flops for years and I just don’t see that changing anytime soon — and it still doesn’t change the fact I’m always going to insist that you really need proper footwear support in both your vacations and daily lives.

We’re constantly talking about our adventures, tips, tricks, and insider secrets for visiting Disney World! Make sure you’re following along with us at AllEars.net so you don’t miss out.

I Go To Disney World for a Living. My Boss HATES When I Do This in the Parks

Is there anything you do while at Disney World that others might find different or odd? Tell me all about them in the comments below!

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