Expensive running/walking shoes for kids?

[kaze1sd]

Just wanted to know if you kids buy expensive name brand walking/running shoes for your kids for WDW? Both the wife and I will be wearing expensive ($100+) running shoes for the trip. My kids normally wear cheap payless shoes because the wear and tear they put on them playing outside. I don't mind buying them quality running shoes for the trip but am just wondering if its overkill.

We aren't taking our trip until the end of September but wanted to ask now in case we needed to break them in. If it helps, my two boys will be eight and three by our trip which happens to be their first trip to WDW.

Would love to hear what worked (and didn't work) for some of the more seasoned WDW parents out there. Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[MisWal]

No, I don't buy expensive/name brand shoes for my kids or myself for WDW. I buy shoes that fit well and are comfortable. If that's a non-name brand, I buy it. I don't believe that expensive necessarily equals better.

 

[Indio]

My kids wear the shoes they normally wear every day. I don't buy them special shoes to wear at Disney. They take tennis shoes and sandals and rotate between them. But, it's the same shoes they wear at home.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Just wanted to know if you kids buy expensive name brand walking/running shoes for your kids for WDW? Both the wife and I will be wearing expensive ($100+) running shoes for the trip. My kids normally wear cheap payless shoes because the wear and tear they put on them playing outside. I don't mind buying them quality running shoes for the trip but am just wondering if its overkill.

We aren't taking our trip until the end of September but wanted to ask now in case we needed to break them in. If it helps, my two boys will be eight and three by our trip which happens to be their first trip to WDW.

Would love to hear what worked (and didn't work) for some of the more seasoned WDW parents out there. Thanks for the help in advance!

For only a trip NO but if they were going to wear them even after the trip, yes. I know many people go cheap with kids items but shoes just aren't one I could go cheap on. Proper foot/arch support is important while their feet are growing. Buy them good shoes and let them where them now. I paid 25 for size 5 Nike Shoxs for my DD at Babies r Us

ETA: I don't like kids under 4 in flip flops unless they have the back wrap. The ankle has no support so unless i'm at a water park no to the flips!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

We won't spend more than $40 on our kids shoes even for WDW. We have gotten DD9 and DS6 several pairs for under that price. Nike, addidas, and sketchers all make shoes with good support for that price range. It's not really the amount you spend, its the quality of the shoe and the support that it offers that matters.

For both our kids we alternate shoes, they do not wear the same pair morning and night we take a break and they were something different when we go back at night. Tennis shoes, good flip flops with support like foam fit Nike's or crocs for DD9 (DS6 can't keep them on enough yet), and crocs. A variety works best for us, but the most important thing you can do is to get shoes now and make sure they are broke in before the trip. Plan some family walks and get the kids used to being on thier feet in those shoes for longer than they normally would. We spend at least the last 2 months before our trip training ourselves and our kids for more walking than we normally get. And I would bet the 3yr old will be stroller most of the trip so I wouldn't worry about his shoe choice as much.

 

[LisaTC]

I tend to buy more name brand shoes mainly because my daughter, like me, has an higher arch and narrow heel = hard to fit! I like Keen's. They aren' too bad $$$-wise and you can find them on piperlime.com (oldnavy/gap subsidiary on the same website) Free shipping both ways. I actually got a pair of Keen's based on how well they worked for her! They are quality. She can wear Nike's and Skechers (some) She cannot wear slip ons at all, they have to be able to be adjusted. I also suggest running socks when they wear their sneakers...better wicking, less stinky, hot kid feet

UTA: The KEEN's are on sale right now down to $34.99 from $50...good deal!

http://http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=69184&vid=1&pid=642741&scid=642741052

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

Both of our kids wear Keens. Yes, they're expensive (but not as expensive at the adult ones!) but they're cooler on the feet in those hot, steamy temps and they have such good support that we never hear them complain that "their feet hurt" during the trip. We've had them wear their usual flip flops to Six Flaggs and that's ALL we heard the entire 2nd half of the day.

DD already has her new pink Keens and DS is eyeing up a dark green pair, but he also likes a pair of Teva's that he's seen. I wear Tevas to Disney and they've always been comfy for me, so I may go that route for DS as well if he likes them better than the Keens.

Just how we roll!

 

[minnie mouse ears]

Honestly I wouldn't wear tennis shoes to Disney unless it were in the middle of winter. My feet get waaay to hot for that and so do my kids. In addition, you might get them wet if you ride any of the water rides or if it rains.

I bought Teva style sandals and lands end sandals for our trip. I also ended up picking up myself a pair of crocs in the park to switch out.

What you might wish to do is to bring two pairs of shoes per person if you can. Your feet will enjoy a break in a different pair and you might need dry shoes if you choose to wear the tennis shoes.

 

[angierae]

My Tevas (sandals, not flips) are better on my feet than my $100 New Balance tennis shoes with the $50 inserts my foot doctor sold me. When these finally give out I'm going to try Keens, because I've heard good things.

The two days I wore my New Balance tennis shoes at Disney were bad enough to make my feet hurt for DAYS afterwards. Into my Tevas I went and stayed for the rest of the week.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'd get the 3 yo some Land's End water sandals or whatever equivalent you can find at Marshall's, but for the 8 yo you might want to invest just a bit more, since he won't be riding in a stroller.

REI has their kids' TEVA and KEEN sport sandals on sale for under $50 right now. Both brands tend to run a wee bit small, so think growth room.

I wouldn't do sneakers at all for a hot weather trip; full-foot amphibious sandals are the way to go. (And September qualifies as hot weather in Orlando; it's still in the high 80's. It's also hurricane season so there is lots of rain.)

 

[mill4023]

We don't generally buy the super cheap walmart/payless shoes for our kids. I just find that they aren't very comfortable for them and they fall apart.
But we also don't spend a ton of money on shoes they are going to outgrow in 6 months. So we usually go to Rack Room or Famous Footwear or one of those stores and get decent name brand shoes that are not too expensive.

But our kids actually ended up wearing their $3 Old Navy flip flops almost as often as they wore tennis shoes when we were at WDW for 2 weeks this month.

 

[walkdmc]

I'm a pretty frivilous spender yet don't see the need to spend $100+ on my kids' sneakers.

We are running the family 5K fun run on Oct. 1st in the AK and for that, I spent $100 on my DS10 Nike Zooms and $60 on my DS7 Sauconys. But for routine touring, I used their old New Balance or whatever they were wearing to school.

 

[LisaTC]

posted update above -- the Keen's are on sale!

 

[Tara922c]

I bought my daughter a pair of shoes from famous footware for 25 bucks for our last Disney trip. They were a hybrid between a tennis shoe, and sandals. I wanted something that was made to be able to get wet, had good support, and be able to breathe. They worked out great, and she wore them all summer! (they were buster brown brands). I think it is important for the kids to have good, compfortable shoes at wdw with all that walking.

Another tip: Buy them a few weeks before the trip so they have a chance to break them in.

 

[MoonFaerie]

My kids wear Saucony shoes, just like DH & me. We live near a Stride Rite outlet, so I rarely pay more than $20-$25 for the kids shoes. Even DH's only cost $35. They never have mine at the outlet though.

 

[Mama Who]

I don't skimp on quality footwear for growing feet, but it doesn't have to break the bank. We also find that good insoles make any pair of shoes much more comfortable for long days of walking.