The Most Comfortable Shoes for Long Theme Park Days

Warm weather, vacations, and kids off of school can only mean one thing: it’s almost time to start spending endless hours in line at massive theme parks. This may be exciting news for your family, but for your feet? Not so much.

Whether you’re the type to rush to your family’s favorite theme park with a full itinerary planned or more of a trudge-along-for-the-snacks kind of parent, you’ll need to come prepared with a pair of comfortable shoes to get you through the day, the lines, the crowds, and of course, that kid who insisted they didn’t need a stroller but now wants to be carried. 

Fortunately, we turned to real recommendations from parents and theme-park goers who gave us the inside scoop on their favorite comfortable shoe picks for getting through. Here are their recommendations for the comfiest shoes to wear to an amusement park, for adults and kids alike. 

Best Sneakers for Adults

Women’s On Cloud X 3 Sneakers

As a native of Orlando, FL, home of tons of major theme parks, Moore’s other recommendation is her On Clouds sneakers. “We do about 20,000 steps in one day at Disney and those are the only two shoes I will wear,” she says. 

To buy: zappos.com, $150 

Men’s On Cloud 5 Sneakers

Clouds were so popular in our research that at least two other people recommended them. Both Lauren Furneaux-Bass’ husband and son decided to pick up a pair of Clouds after seeing so many people wear them at the park. “They absolutely love them,” Furneaux-Bass notes.

Melissa Hoffman Brusie, a Florida native, also cast her vote for the popular shoe. “Best all-day comfort shoes!” she gushes. “I love the Cloud 5.”

To buy: amazon.com, $150 

Allbirds Tree Runner Sneaker

Kimberly Kelsch, a mom of three from Michigan, divulges that the Allbirds Tree Runners is her park fave to keep her feet comfy. But she also admits she had some help in choosing them: “It was a recommendation from my mother-in-law,” she confesses. “I bought them and fell in love!”

To buy: allbirds.com, $105 

New Balance Classics

“If I am doing a sneaker, I like the colorful retro New Balance,” says journalist and parent Meg St-Esprit McKivigan. “They look cute and are super supportive.”

To buy: zappos.com, $85 

Allbirds Tree Runners

Elen Turner, a parent of one child from New Zealand, also recommends Allbirds for “anything and everything requiring comfort” — theme parks included. 

To buy: allbirds.com, $105

Best Slip-Ons

Hey Dudes

“I drank the Hey Dudes kool-aid,” admits Janell Marie, who frequently travels to Florida with her two kids for work and is a frequent fan of Disney World — especially Epcot — which entails a lot of walking. “So good. No laces to tie—a major bonus with kids—lightweight, cool, and epically comfy. Also, machine-washable!”

To buy: amazon.com, $38 (originally $58);  

Toms 

Toms may have been the shoe of the 2000s, but writer and mom Leah Outten still swears by them when her family visits Disney World. “Toms are my favorites!” she gushes.  

To buy: amazon.com, $28 (originally $50) 

Best Sandals for Adults

Teva Sandals 

Shannon Brescher Shea, a parenting blogger from Rockville, MD, says she “loves” her Tevas. 

“We walk a lot for transportation, so I buy all my shoes with large amounts of walking in mind,” she adds. 

To buy: zappos.com, $55

Croc Sandals

McKivigan is also a fan of name-brand Crocs for the whole fam, both for herself and her kids. And what’s not to love about Crocs? They’re durable, versatile, waterproof for water rides, and can fit a variety of feet. “Hands down, our fave,” she says. 

To buy: zappos.com, $25 (originally $35)

Oofos Ooahh Luxe Slide Sandal

Mary Beth Foster, a mom of two from Charlotte, NC, a season pass holder at are season pass holders at Carowinds, an amusement park on the North/ South Carolina border, recommends the  Oofos original sandal: “[They’re the] only flip-flop I wear, 100 percent worth the price. I swear they cured my plantar fasciitis,” she says. In fact, she loves them so much she recommends getting two pairs — one to wear indoors and one to wear outdoors, especially if you have plantar fasciitis. 

To buy: nordstrom.com, $75

Women’s SAS Duo Low-Heel Sandal

Diane Mischel, a farmer with DeBuck’s Sod Farm, spends her off-season in Florida every year with her family, so she knows a thing or two about donning comfortable footwear for massive theme parks. Her go-to’s are San Antonio sneakers and sandals, which she says may look “a little old lady,” but the comfort they provide makes them well worth their elderly appearance. 

“They have some cute sandals and the sandals are my go-to, especially for arch support and if you have a wider foot,” says Mischel. 

To buy: walmart.com. $148

For the Kids 

Crocs Unisex Clog

Foster swears that you can’t go wrong with Crocs and I have to say, as a mom of five myself, I have to agree. “For the kids, we go with Crocs,” explains Foster. 

And be sure you go with the actual brand for this one, because Foster claims that in this case, the brand name really does matter. “I bought knockoffs from Walmart once, and they lasted all of a week,” she says. 

To buy: zappos.com, $30 (originally $40)

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