Disney World Ruck March: How the Military Prepared You for Disney

In addition to being a magical time, a Disney World vacation is also a lot of walking, organization, scheduling, and preparation.

82nd Airborne Division commemorating its centennial year at WDW (C) Disney

Whether it’s the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, or even Space Force, you are trained for missions, operations, and war. Well, as it turns out, you are also well trained for a vacation in Walt Disney World.

From Combat Boots to Sneakers

First things first, just like Lt. Dan said, “You gotta take care of your feet”. Be sure to choose comfortable, well broken-in shoes. If you are visiting during hurricane season (June – October), be sure to think about rain. Common choices are sneakers, Birkenstocks, and Crocs. It’s even a good idea to bring a couple different shoes so you can switch it up day to day or in case your shoes get soaked by the summer afternoon downpours. Your footwear has a job at Walt Disney World. It doesn’t have to be a fashion statement.

Disney World Rucksack (A.K.A. Backpack)

Steve’s Got his Backpack!

First item to need to carry in your ruck shouldn’t be a surprise… WATER. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It’s hotter than the devil’s front porch in Florida so you should carry lots of water. Of course you have other options like buying water in the parks (umm, no. It’s $3.50 a bottle), bring in a water bottle to refill at the fountains, or get free ice water at the Quick Service locations.

Snacks. No one wants to get hangry on vacation. We always recommend Disney snacks over a basic bag of pretzels, but you never know when that hangry monster is going to appear and you don’t want to be caught in a long line without sustenance if it does.

Remember Lt. Dan. Extra socks are a great idea if you choose to wear sneakers to the parks. If your feet get soaked, changing your socks can make a huge difference.

Speaking of rain. Ponchos, my friend. Sure, you can always buy Disney ponchos in the park and they come with a cute little Mickey picture on them, but did you know that they are $12?!?! That’s insane. Walmart sells individual packaged ones for $1 each. Or check out the selection on Amazon. Use them and toss them. Perfect.

MDT Tip: Have some of these items delivered either ahead or after arrival.

Hurry Up and Wait

You know what we’re talking about. Rush, rush, rush, only to show up and wait a while. Walt Disney World has its share of that, too. Walt Disney World is filled with great shows, parades and various entertainment for you to organize your day around. There are some decisions to make when planning your day. If a show is a high priority, are you going to get there early to wait so you get a great seat? Or are you going to ride rides until the last minute and hope to get in?

If neither of those scenarios appeal, you should look into Genie+. Genie+ is a service that Disney offers to skip the lines with scheduled Lightning Lanes. The service costs a flat fee of $15 per person per day. With this service you can secure a Lightning Lane for that show that is so important so you can guarantee a seat, so now you don’t have to hurry up and wait.

Are parades a priority? There’s a Lightning Lane for that, too, so you can guarantee a great spot for that, too!

Learn more about Genie+.

16 Klicks

The number one aspect that the military prepared for in Walt Disney World… The walking. And you will walk. And walk. And walk some more… The average Walt Disney World guest will walk around 10 miles per day!

Trade your uniform for a Disney shirt, replace the cadence with Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, and get ready to march, I mean walk on down Main Street, U.S.A.!

Also See

Check out our Ultimate Disney Planning Post for Military Families

Comments, Questions, be sure to leave them in the Comment Section Below!

This MDT Post By: Erin Schreiver

Erin is a MilSpouse who loves going to Walt Disney World with her family, pin trading, and collecting Minnie ears and coffee mugs! Check out her bio.

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