Sarah & Tom’s Top 7 Shoes for Disney Travel

We’ve spent the last two years trying to find our favorite walking shoes for Walt Disney World and other travel. In the process, we’ve put countless brands–Nike, Brooks, Hoka, Adidas, etc–through the paces, quite literally, logging 10,000+ steps in dozens of different models.

Let’s start by acknowledging that there’s no one-size-fits-all “perfect” shoes for Walt Disney World. Personal preference, individual comfort, and the unique contours of your feet and body are huge factors. It’s also all about tradeoffs. No shoe has it all.

You have to optimize for weight, size, cushioning, drop, responsiveness, breathability, stability, dryness, traction, and so on. And everyone has different preferences about the allocation of these characteristics. Some want a shoe with a lot of energy return, whereas others want to feel like they’re walking on clouds.

Before we get going with the actual recommendations, we’re dropping in with a quick update for Amazon Prime Day. The bad news is that there are no good deals we’ve found for Prime Day. There isn’t a single pair of our favorite shoes on sale. The dearth of discounts is shocking and disappointing, as there have been a lot of discounts in past years. At least, not on Amazon.

The good news is that Woot (by Amazon) has some scorching sales on Hokas and On Cloud shoes: Existing customers get an EXTRA 20% OFF any items in this sale, and new customers get an extra 30% off! No coupon required. Discount will be shown on the final checkout screen. Offer valid through 6/25/26 at 11:58pm CT, or while supplies last.

Shipping is sometimes slower than Amazon, but our experiences with Woot (a site I’ve used for decades, long before Amazon bought it) has been very positive. In fact, we just ordered 4 pairs of Hokas this morning, and I’m debating giving On Cloud another chance.

If you’re on the fence, we recommend ordering ASAP, as some styles have already sold out between the time we bought and when we’re posting this update. As with other Amazon orders, returns are easy (and possible at Whole Foods), so it’s better to over-order than under-order. Good luck!

Here’s the discount page: https://sport.woot.com/plus/on-hoka-running-shoes-18

As a general matter, we’ve both come to appreciate shoes that with ample cushioning, but also a bit of bounce. Sarah skews more towards plushness, whereas I slightly favor responsiveness. We’re both in the same general ballpark, though, and would hazard a guess that over half of Walt Disney World tourists are similarly-situated.

You’re likely looking for all-day comfort. Chances are, you’re doing far fewer steps at home than when traveling, so there’s a bit of “system shock” when you visit Walt Disney World, Disneyland, etc. Accordingly, you probably want walking shoes you can wear for tens of thousands of steps per day without foot pain, blisters, etc. If that more or less is accurate, you’re the target audience for this post.

If you’re a marathon runner, fitness freak, already have favorite shoes, or are in an occupation where you’re on your feet all-day, this probably is not aimed at you. That is, unless you’re unhappy with your current shoes and are looking to try something new. In which case, this provides new options to consider.

We’re not professional footwear testers, podiatrists or other medical experts–just two people who have burned through a lot of shoes traveling extensively. In the last year, we’ve logged over 10,000 steps on nearly 200 days, and over 20,000 steps on almost 100 days. And one of us did that while wearing a baby much of the time! Moreover, our walking is feast or famine, with the remaining days being mostly under 5,000 steps.

That also means this list is not objective or evenly remotely comprehensive. It’s our personal preferences based on what we’ve worn. This will be notable given the absence of certain brands, most notably On Cloud. We both ordered On Clouds, tested them a bit at home, and returned them. I found the ride to be comfortable (Sarah did not), but I couldn’t get past the uncomfortable and cheap construction of the upper.

Again, this is purely subjective! On is mentioned specifically here because it was one of the “most recommended” brands by our readers. This isn’t to be dismissive of Ons; they’re obviously popular for a reason. Rather, we’re underscoring that there’s no one-size-fits-all “perfect” shoe for Disney. On Clouds are not for us, but maybe they’re right for you!

I’ve also worn plenty of other shoes that I loved, but not recently enough for relevancy. For instance, I swore by Saucony Rides for years, but switched. Not for any real reason, just to try something new. If you’re a nurse or prolific walker and have recommendations you’d like to share in the comments beyond what’s on this list, we’re all ears. The more opinions, the better!

With that in mind, let’s dig into the list of the best walking shoes for Walt Disney World and Disneyland travel…

Adidas Ultraboost – I had heard people singing the praises of the Boost foam for years, but it wasn’t until pulling the trigger on a ‘lifestyle label’ pair of Boosts that I finally realized the shoes lived up to the hype. Unfortunately, their designer went off the deep end.

Nevertheless, the comfort of the Boosts was immediately apparent and wore them extensively during a month-long trip to Japan. The shoes have a tremendous amount of cushioning and are plush as a result, but somehow are also responsive and speedy.

After logging tons of steps in the same pair of Boosts over the course of an entire month, my feet still felt fresh. For their part, the shoes also still looked great—they’re durable and grippy in addition to being bouncy. I’m now a Boost believer, and completely get the cult-like following. I’ve yet to find a version that’s as plush as my beloved 350v2s, but the new 5X is really close (just clunkier).

Brooks Glycerin StealthFit – In the last year, I’ve worn the Brooks Glycerin StealthFit more than any other shoes. I’ve used a variety of Brooks, also including the Levitate and Ghost (more on this below). I prefer either of those for their energy return when running, while favoring the Brooks Glycerin when walking.

The Glycerin is really similar to a lot of the shoes on this list: soft yet responsive cushioning, making for a comfortable, and versatile shoe that can be worn on a daily basis. It’s also a workhorse–I’ve put untold miles on my primary pair of Glycerins, and they’re only beginning to show signs that it’s time to retire them. I always pick up last season’s models when the new ones come out.

Brooks Glycerin hits the sweet spot of quality, cushioning, and cost. As someone who is a big fan of Nike Flyknit and pretty much any shoe with sock-like uppers, I love the StealthFit and buy that version. Not everyone agrees with that sentiment, though.

Crocs LiteRide 360 Pacer Sneakers – From June through October, these always get thrown into my suitcase for Walt Disney World. The huge selling point of Crocs is how well they handle heat, humidity, and storm season. Between the weather and my body’s natural ability to produce appalling odor, breathable shoes are a must for me.

Equally as important, Crocs are quick-drying. Afternoon showers can come out of nowhere at Walt Disney World, and I’ve had pairs of shoes totally ruined as a result of the one-two punch of my stinky feet and getting (and staying) wet at Walt Disney World. With the Crocs LiteRide Shoes, I simply swap out my socks after an afternoon storm and am ready to roll.

The foam insoles are soft, light, and springy. The Crocs LiteRide Shoes offer softness while putting a bit of pep in your step, with the characteristic comfort of Crocs. The Crocs LiteRide Shoes are the best of both worlds, also offering the structure of shoes so you can wear them for longer without discomfort. The LiteRides can tackle early mornings to late nights, allowing you to do 10,000+ steps without blisters or pain. I could never do that with regular Crocs.

With that said, I try not to wear the Crocs LiteRide on consecutive full days in the parks. Sometimes this is unavoidable during storm season, but even then, I’ve found it’s possible to wear these for the rainy portion of the day, switch to regular running shoes during the midday break, and doing the second half of the day in those.

Nike Pegasus – I was late to the Nike Pegasus party, wrongly assuming they were early 1980s tech, a legacy model of Nikes that time had passed by. I quickly learned the error of my ways after trying on my first pair. I was shocked by the comfort of the ride, and have bought several pairs of Pegs since.

Nike sells a ton of different variations of the Pegasus, with the tried and true being the numbered model. This is a soft and springy shoe with dual Air Zoom units offering a great amount of bounce, along with a ReactX foam midsole that provides a plush ride. A lightweight, breathable upper helps keep them comfortable, and the rubber is durable and provides plenty of traction (important for rainy days in the parks when the sidewalk gets slick).

The Nike Pegasus is incredibly well-rounded and durable, and there’s a certain ‘pep in the step’ the Pegs have that I can’t get from other shoes. They’re perfect for everything from the Disneyland Half Marathon (above) to power-walking at rope drop to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and just generally keeping my legs feeling fresh.

I’ll often rotate these with a pair of Brooks (every other day in the parks), which is the perfect combo when logging 20,000 steps per day. If they ever go on sale, I’m picking up a pair of the Nike Pegasus Premium with a triple-stack of full-length ZoomX foam, an Air Zoom unit, and ReactX foam foundation.

Hoka Gaviota – The next two entries are the winners for Sarah. There are two big differences between the Gaviota and the Bondi. The first is that the Gaviota is a stability shoe, whereas the Bondi is neutral. The second is that the stack on the Gaviota, while still large, isn’t quite as enormous.

For its part, the Hoka Gaviota offers strong arch support for a more forgiving ride that still never feels firm despite the stable construction. It still features the luxurious stack for leg-saving comfort that typifies Hokas. The composition includes two foams, the main cushion for comfort while the firmer layer is situated in high-impact areas for better balance and protection. The end result is prolonged walks with fresh legs and no discomfort.

All in all, it’s just a really well-rounded shoe. Not everyone needs stability, so it’s not one of Hokas best-sellers (the next entry very much is), but Sarah loves it. The slightly lower profile design (by Hoka standards) also makes it a more nimble shoe without sacrificing much in the way of comfort.

Hoka Bondi – The Hoka Bondi offers maximum cushioning for an ultra-plush ride. It’s their softest and least responsive shoe, with a higher and enormous bed of super-soft cushioning and more forgiving impact. The Hoka Bondi is very “cloudlike,” and hugely popular for good reason. Without a doubt, the Hoka Bondi is the most plush shoe on this list–if you want to maximize that, it’s the best option.

It’s also one of the ugliest shoes I’ve seen. The sole and heel are huge and clunky, comically oversized. They look like clown shoes, which I guess is the style these days, but it can also be a practical impediment. (I don’t like the way they look, so they’re a non-starter for me–but they also made my feet “get in the way” of one another while testing them.)

Regardless of looks, Sarah loves them. We logged roughly 20,000 steps per day on average for two months last summer while traveling, and Sarah wore the Hoka Bondi almost every single day. She has since added the Gaviota to her rotation for a ‘leaner’ option. She never had any foot pain or injuries (aside of the norm) and she did so while babywearing most of the time.

As Sarah has become a hardcore Hoka fan, she’s found the ‘sweet spot’ for sales on the most popular models (Bondi, Clifton, etc.) to be right as new models come out. When the latest model of the Hoka Bondi was released last year in January, the 8s went on sale immediately–with clearance prices peaking a couple of months later.

She ended up scoring pairs for an unprecedented 50% off. You won’t find deals that good right now. The best shoe deals revolve around product cycles and clearancing out old unsold inventory. The longer you wait, the more you save–you there’s also the risk of sizes and colorways selling out.

Brooks Ghost Max – Runners rave about the Brooks Ghost, but the regular versions never quite lived up to the hype for me. It felt like compromising too much on comfort, while not fully getting that back in responsiveness. The Brooks Ghost Max changed the equation for me. I notice no loss of responsiveness here, while gaining a much more plush midsole.

Now that the Ghost Max 3 is available, the Brooks Ghost Max 2 is being clearanced out at relatively deep discounts (by Brooks standards). I’ve tried the newer model and, honestly, I think I prefer the previous pairs. I love this shoe, and am debating getting another as it’s already proving to be a popular model and the sale price is tough to beat.

The Brooks Ghost Max is somewhere between the Glycerin and Hoka Bondi. It’s plush while still being responsive, and has a large stack of soft DNA Loft foam, but isn’t squishy like the Bondi. What I really love about the Ghost Max, and how it distinguishes itself from the other shoes on this list (most of which are quite similar), is the GlideRoll. This makes for a smoother transition as the shoe “rocks” and provides a bouncy propulsion from landing to takeoff.

It’s hard to describe, but the Ghost Max has already shot to the top of my list as a result of this one feature. It’s a fun shoe, and one I’ll keep it in rotation with the Pegasus in nice weather, and the Crocs during storm season. These may not be as trendy as the Hokas or On Clouds, but for my money, Brooks cannot be beat. Your mileage may vary, literally and figuratively.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Your Thoughts

What are your favorite shoes for Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Do you opt for specific footwear that offers added comfort, support, or springiness when doing the parks, or just your ‘normal’ shoes? Any options that perform particularly well in the hot, humid, and wet weather of Central Florida? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!