Shopping for Disney shoes for August
June 12, 2014 1:31 PM   Subscribe

A portmanteau for this man's poor toes:
  • Are Keen Newports good shoes for a long trip to Disney World in August? If not, what beats them? I mean, can I simply wear my running shoes?
  • Do you try on footwear like this with or without socks?
  • Do you allow extra room on the assumption that your feet will swell in the steam heat?


  • Some background:

    - I have pretty big, square feet: I am currently wearing Merrell Chameleons here at work, and they are very comfy.

    - Later this summer we are going down to Disney World for a long-ish trip. I want to have shoes that are OK to get soaking wet, and also OK to wear all day. I don't do flip-flops, and my current shoes may well have worn out by August.

    - I own a pair of Crocs, but I don't think they would be comfortable for fifty miles of walking. :7) After the trip, I will wear these on walks in the morning and to work and camping with the Boy Scouts.

    Thanks for any help!
    posted by wenestvedt to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (19 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
     
    Best answer: Are Keen Newports good shoes for a long trip to Disney World in August? If not, what beats them? I mean, can I simply wear my running shoes?

    Yes, God yes - my Keens were wonderful in Disneyland. You can get them wet on rides too and they dry out pretty quickly.

    Running shoes would be fine but not nearly as breathable, and in August you really will feel the heat.

    Do you try on footwear like this with or without socks?

    Never with socks, had no issues whatsoever. However, if the temperature dropped at night I would have no problem using socks with my Keens.

    Do you allow extra room on the assumption that your feet will swell in the steam heat?

    No. My Keens fit me loosely - there are adjustable straps on the ankle and on the top of the foot section so you can tighten it slightly if you need to.

    Pro-tip: You can wear the Big Kids/Little Kids shoes if your foot is small enough. This might not work for men-sized feet, but I find I can wear a Big Kids/Little Kids shoe in size 6, which is roughly equivalent to adult women's size 8. Costs less.

    Also: 6pm.com frequently has Keens on sale, check 'em out!

    I love my Keens and wear them frequently - hope you have a great time at Disney World!
    posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 1:44 PM on June 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


    WDW in August is the most disgusting possible place ever. Honestly, last year, it was about 100 degrees every day, and humid. If you can wear sandals without a toe cover, I would do that.
    posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:47 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    Best answer: I too am a daily Chameleons wearer and just got back from a Disney trip where I wore these Skechers, that are relaxed fit with Memory foam. (I went on Splash Mountain but they didn't get wet, so I can't speak to that).

    Whatever shoes you decide on, make sure you wear them in as long as possible before the trip and pack your Chameleons too. We averaged walking 7-10 miles a day with temps in the mid 90s and you may want to switch out your footwear to give your feet some variety.
    posted by FreezBoy at 1:52 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    Best answer: I own Keens, and they're great in terms of being able to wear all day without pain, but within just a few hours, they tend to stink. If you can get them wet from time to time and wash them down, it's better. If you don't think you'll be able to do that, I'd look for another brand.
    posted by limeonaire at 2:02 PM on June 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


    Do you try on footwear like this with or without socks?

    You try on all shoes with socks. If you're not going to wear the shoes with socks, use the courtesy sockets provided by the store (which are made of pantyhose, so don't really take away from the fit). I wouldn't wear them with socks once I bought them, but they will probably get a little ripe.
    posted by Admiral Haddock at 2:04 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    Best answer: I love my Keens for this. FWIW, I haven't had smell issues (I, uh, may have just gone to stick my nose in my sandals to check, having just got back from a day of wandering).
    posted by dorque at 2:09 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    +1 bring multiple pairs of shoes. Even if you have the most comfortable shoes in the universe, walking all day in them will make any change from them a relief.
    posted by town of cats at 2:29 PM on June 12, 2014 [4 favorites]


    Though not of your gender, I possess both square, wide feet and Keen Newport sandals (in a wide size). I have worn them for many all-day, walking-intensive, wet/dry outings in hot weather, and they were awesome every time-- surprisingly cool, too. Six years in and still no odor.
    posted by Bardolph at 2:31 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    My husband has big square feet and found those particular shoes very tight in the toe box. He does like them but not for extended walking.
    posted by csmithrim at 2:36 PM on June 12, 2014


    (I beg your pardon, I misread your question regarding socks: usually, you try them on with a pair of courtesy hose provided by the store, as Admiral Haddock states above. This is to get an idea of what the fit would be, without introducing your naked foot to potentially someone else's shoes.)
    posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 2:57 PM on June 12, 2014


    Best answer: I worked ten hour+ days on a farm one summer and wore those sandals all day every day. They're great. I didn't have smell issues, but I don't have particularly smelly feet (some people do, so YMMV).
    posted by jrobin276 at 3:06 PM on June 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


    Best answer: i walked around nyc in july during some massive humidity in a pair of keen newport h2s and they were oddly crazy comfortable, so i would totally recommend them for disney world. i work in tech (i.e. i sit all day) and i do not walk regularly at all to the tune of what i was doing in nyc, and the keens were just great.
    posted by koroshiya at 3:44 PM on June 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


    i should add, no socks.
    posted by koroshiya at 3:44 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    Best answer: I bought Nike Air Rifts for Disney. Loved them

    You want cushion and support. It is BRUTAL to walk on the cement in the summer.

    A good walking shoe is key. Flip flops are a rookie mistake.

    Someone could make a fortune in in-room foot massage at the end of a day at Disney.
    posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:10 PM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


    Response by poster: Can anyone comment on how true to size the Keen Newports run?
    posted by wenestvedt at 6:23 PM on June 12, 2014


    i found they were pretty true to size (a women's 10 for me). note that they ARE supposed to fit a bit loose/roomy compared to what you may be used to. best bet is to buy a couple pair you like from zappos with free shipping and free returns if you can't actually try them on in a store. i found the newports true to size but one other model (blanking on the name) ran a bit small.
    posted by misanthropicsarah at 7:07 PM on June 12, 2014


    I have those shoes and like them-but I'm a disney fanatic, and no shoe has served me as well there as my crocs. Seriously. As ugly as they are-no foot pain at all at the end of the day. Bring both crocs and keenes and switch off.
    posted by purenitrous at 7:35 PM on June 12, 2014


    i usually wear a women's 9 1/2 and the 9 did me just fine.
    posted by koroshiya at 12:12 AM on June 13, 2014


    Response by poster: Follow-up: I bought the Keens from L.L.Bean, and am wearing them right now. (I am at work so I have thin socks on, but I've been going sockless.)

    They are quite comfortable. The web site said to order up a half-size, but I ordered my usual size and it fits fine.

    I have so far spent several long days in them at places like Old Sturbridge Village and the beach, and have taken walks on cement sidewalks and asphalt roads, and the sandals remain cool and soft. So I am optimistic about their performance on gooey Disney paths in August! :7)

    Thank you to all who answered my questions.
    posted by wenestvedt at 7:55 AM on June 25, 2014


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