I Wore These Sneakers for 12 Hours at Disneyland and My Feet Never Throbbed

I Wore These Sneakers for 12 Hours at Disneyland and My Feet Never Throbbed

A woman standing in front of the Disneyland entrance, white REEF sneakers in front of the California Adventure ferris wheel, a pair of white REEF sneakersREEF; Jessie Quinn. Design: Jessie Quinn / StyleCaster

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I was raised in Los Angeles, about an hour north of Disneyland, by parents who have both worked for The Walt Disney Company since the 80s. So, I was lucky enough to practically live at the parks as a kid—and still enjoy spending time at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure as an adult. I’m now a season passholder, so I go to the parks at least once or twice a month and walk a minimum of 20,000 steps every visit. With this level of activity in mind, I have mastered the art of theme park attire, dressing for both comfort and style (after all, you want all of that expensive Mickey merch to get some good mileage at the parks). 

While I could go on and on about the best clothes to wear to Disneyland (TikTok doesn’t lie—the Halara ​​Easy Peezy dresses are a must), the most important thing to consider is always your shoes. So, when I had the opportunity to test the REEF Lay Day Lift sneakers, I knew exactly where to stomp around in them: Disney, of course. 

The Best Shoes for Disneyland

A woman wearing white sneakers, jean shorts with Mickey heads embroidered on them, and a yellow tank top, standing in front of the Disneyland entrance. REEF Lay Day Lift Sneakers $110 Buy Now

As soon as I slipped my soles into the REEF Lay Day Lift Sneakers, I knew I would love them. The shoes are constructed from a flexible and high-quality suede material and feature a durable sawtooth rubber outsole with lots of good traction, which is non-negotiable when looking at the best theme park shoes for walking miles and miles. 

They also have a hidden wedge that gives you a little bit of a height boost without sacrificing comfort. To be honest, I was the most nervous about this feature because wearing wedge sneakers to Disneyland sounds like a nightmare (and not the Before Christmas kind)—but the insoles feature memory foam and rubber for cushion and shock absorption, and the wedged design actually gave my high arches some extra (and unexpected) support.  

I wore them on a particularly long park day and found that, even after 12 hours of walking (in mid-August heat, no less), they were still super comfortable and my feet never experienced the inevitable post-Disney aching and throbbing. Since the shoes are constructed from suede, they were a bit warm for my liking, so I am excited to give them another go when the weather cools down in the fall. But, aside from that, they fit well, provide plenty of support and cushion, and never rubbed or caused blisters. I also took the risk and didn’t even break them in before my Disneyland trip, which could have gone poorly, but didn’t make any difference—consider me impressed. 

An image of white sneakers on brick floor

All in all, I love these REEF sneakers and think they’re a great option for those with high arches who want to look cute but also be super comfortable while spending hours walking and standing in lines. I grabbed them in the cream colorway, which is also versatile enough to go with all of my Disney outfits and favorite accessories, including my beloved Wanderfull Crossbody HydroBag (another theme park must) and BaubleBar Minnie Ears. 

Sizes Available: 5-11
Colors: 4
Material: Sustainably sourced suede, memory foam, rubber, sawtooth rubber 
Comfort Features: Memory foam insole, rubber cupsole, hidden wedge

Pros

  • The insoles feature memory foam for added cushion.
  • The shoes have a hidden wedge, which added support for my high arches. 
  • The outsoles boast tons of traction, even on slippery surfaces. 
  • They run true to size.

Cons

  • The suede is a little too hot for the summer heat. 
  • The wedge might not be comfortable for flat feet.

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