Pedometer

Yes, you will walk a lot at Disney World. I have read tons of tips in books that suggest, if you aren't an active person, you should start walking a couple of months out to get used to how much you will walk when you're actually at The World. If you go "balls to the wall" like I do where you start at the time the rope drops and enjoy the extra magic hours all the way to close without a break, you better believe you're clocking some miles.

The last few trips, I was really interested in finding out just how much I was walking as I trekked around World Showcase at Epcot (it's supposed to be 1.1 miles). Which park required the most steps in a day? Was I really walking enough to work off the calories from that Mickey Bar? Did I walk enough steps that I didn't need to go to the resort's fitness center at the end of the day?

So, I decided to buy a pedometer and take it with me. I now take it almost every trip! It's fun to see the steps add up. So far, I think the most I've gotten in a day is around 30,000, which is about 10 miles. At first, it seemed like I surely walked more. I'm exhausted at the end of every day! But then, when I thought about it, I realized we're usually walking at a fairly slow pace--with the exception of the run we break into to get our fastpasses to Expedition Everest when Animal Kingdom opens. At a slow pace, walking ten miles would take FOREVER on a track!

This year I'm amping it up and am attempting to walk those ten miles in my Reebok Easy Tones. I can't wait to see if I can do it, and if my buns and thighs really burn at the end of the day!

If you enjoy walking, I encourage you to bring your pedometer along. Give everyone in your family one and have a walking contest. Winner gets a Dole Whip, Mickey Bar, or chocolate covered frozen banana...their choice! It might keep you walking in place while you're standing in those annoying lines!