How To Prepare For Walking at Disney World?
Disney World is massive and each park takes up a huge amount of space.
While there are transportation options between parks and around the resort, these options aren’t available inside the parks.
Since you’ll be on your feet and walking all day, what are the best ways to prepare for your Disney trip?
The most important thing to do in preparation for Disney is to get out and walk. The better shape you’re in before your trip, the easier it will be while you’re there. Aim for around ten miles of walking per day or a minimum of 12,000 steps to get used to it.
Getting Ready Before Your Trip
The average guest at Disney World walks at least ten miles each day while they explore the theme parks.
This is great for burning calories and getting in shape, but guests that aren’t used to walking that far are going to get tired quickly.
Another thing to keep in mind is the Florida heat.
In the summer, temperatures tend to sit around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and even in the winter, it isn’t uncommon for temperatures to reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That isn’t considering the humidity either!
No matter what kind of shape you’re in, the hot and humid weather can drain you, but those who are in better shape won’t find it as difficult.
That’s why the most important thing you can do to prepare for your trip is to start walking.
The average day at Disney World is over eight hours long. That entire time, you’ll be on your feet waiting in lines or walking between attractions in the park.
On average, visitors walk between seven and ten miles per day while at Disney World.
Starting a couple of weeks before your trip, try to walk at least ten miles per day or get around 12,000 steps in. That way your body is more used to moving that much.
This is especially important for people who have a more sedentary lifestyle.
Not being used to the exercise will make you tired all the time and put a huge damper on your trip.
Dropping a few pounds before you go can also be helpful. You’ll be carrying around less weight, feel better, and look better in vacation pictures.
A short-term diet before your trip can be combined with a walking routine to get your body in better shape.
Make sure to buy a good pair of shoes and get them worn in before your trip as well. A comfortable pair of tennis shoes is all you need while on the trip.
Don’t make the mistake of wearing sandals, heels, or generally uncomfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you later.
If you don’t have any lightweight, breathable clothes, the time to buy them is before your trip.
Wearing the right clothes will help keep you cool and make walking around the parks much easier. Leave behind tight, dark clothing and look for outdoor or performance gear.
Before your trip, use a map and plan out which attractions you want to see. Following an itinerary or at least a plan can help cut down on aimless wandering around the parks.
If the walking distance is going to be a problem, this is one of the best ways to cut down how far you’ll walk during the day.
The preparations don’t stop once you reach Disney World though. Most guests spend multiple days at the parks, so preparing yourself for the next day is just as important as preparing before your vacation.
While at the parks, drink water at every opportunity. While a soft drink is going to taste good and give you some energy, choose water more often than not.
Staying hydrated will help you with keeping your energy up throughout the trip.
Make sure you eat a lot while you’re at Disney World. If you don’t usually eat breakfast, force yourself to eat something small before you go to the park for the day.
Even a small meal or snack is going to give you the energy you need to keep walking all day.
Finally, make sure to take time to relax.
During the day take frequent breaks between attractions. Have a seat at a restaurant, step into an air-conditioned shop, watch a show, or just sit and people watch a while.
Getting off your feet, even for a few minutes will make it easier.
Once the day is over, get a good night’s sleep. Rest and recovery are important, and after all that walking, you should be sleeping like a baby.
How do I keep my feet from hurting at Disney?
Since you’ll be walking so much, your feet are probably going to be hurting by the end of the day.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to soothe aching feet to get you back into the parks and have fun.
Some things you can do in advance. Foot arch supports, practicing strength exercises, walking, and ensuring you have comfortable shoes before your trip can all reduce how much your feet will hurt.
Once they’re already hurting, the options change. You could take a pain relief medication but many people prefer more natural methods.
Icing your feet, foot massages, and foot baths will all help relieve built-up tension and pain.
Do some stretches at the end of the day combined with one of those methods to relieve your foot pain.
How many calories do you burn walking around Disney World?
Surprisingly, Magic Kingdom visitors can burn as many as 1,558 calories each day they spend in the parks.
This adds up to more calories than an average person burns while doing a 10k run.
Remember that the parks are huge and you’ll be walking or standing in line for eight to twelve hours each day. That’s much more exercise than average people get each day.
It’s important to note that you’ll likely be consuming a lot of calories thanks to the delicious snacks, meals, and treats available at Disney World.
Most people will lose some weight while on vacation despite this though, thanks to the sheer amount of exercise they’re getting.
How do I maximize my day at Disney World?
Disney World is one of those places where you could spend a week in each park and still not have experienced everything there is to offer.
Thankfully, there are a few strategies you can use to get the most out of your park time.
Prioritize the attractions you want to do most. Start your day by hitting all of those attractions and then spend the rest exploring and doing other ones.
That way you won’t miss out on the most important things to you.
Consider making an itinerary for the day. Allot a certain amount of time in each area and then do the most important attractions in them.
Pay attention to the wait times for attractions. Hit the ones that are less busy and come back when the queue times are shorter.
Order food for pickup through Disney apps so you aren’t waiting in line as long.
Go at your own pace. Don’t try to rush around and do everything as quickly as possible. While you might save time, you won’t be able to soak in the magic of Disney World.
Have a regroup around lunchtime and be flexible in your plans. Something might catch your attention while you’re there, so don’t let a rigid plan make you miss out.
What is the slowest day of the week at Disney World?
The least busy days of the week at Disney World tend to be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Most families plan to visit the parks for multiple days and will arrive on the weekends. This makes Friday through Monday see the most visitors.
Always avoid the weekends, holidays, and special events if your priority is to visit on days with fewer people in the parks.
One of the best ways to see which days the park expects to see fewer visitors is the ticket prices.
Disney prices tickets based on the date, with more expensive prices set when guest attendance is expected to be higher.
The lower the price, the fewer people are expected to be in the parks.
Conclusion
The best way to physically prepare for a trip to Disney World is to start walking weeks in advance.
Try to get at least ten miles or 12,000 steps each day. Once that’s accomplished, be sure to wear the right shoes, stay hydrated, and eat enough to fuel your body.
