Planning a week-long Disney trip can be super fun (and very stressful). However, carrying out that plan and making it through your entire vacation without feeling completely drained can be a challenge. 

Recovering after each park day is crucial to be able to bounce back each day and make it through the week. Here are my top tips to improve your recovery so that you can power through your week at Walt Disney World.

If you like what you read, help me out by liking my post and sharing it with your friends. If you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas you would like me to blog about in the future, feel free to leave a comment down below!

Stretch it Out

Static stretching facilitates the removal of lactic acid from your muscles, helps decrease soreness and help tired muscles return to a more relaxed state, and decreases the risk of injury post-workout. In short, stretching helps start the recovery process so that you can go at it again the next day. Here are some stretches for you to try:

Extra tips: If you’ve got room in your suitcase, pack a mini foam roll to roll out your muscles. If you’re working through neck tension, bring one or two tennis balls with you to work on massaging your neck.

Take a Cold Bath

Athletes love taking ice baths after a hard workout or race. Research shows that the cold temperature of an ice bath can reduce swelling and tissue breakdown and shift lactic acid away from your muscles. After 14 hours on your feet, immersing your legs in cold water (preferably 50-59 degrees F) may help you recover for your next day’s activities. Don’t have access to a bath? A cold shower isn’t as effective, but it will suffice and can be a good alternative!

Elevate Your Legs

If you’ve ever had an injury in the past, you might be familiar with the term RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. While this acronym is becoming slowly outdated, the elevation part is still important. Elevating the feet helps to reduce swelling, provide pressure relief, improve blood flow, and relieve muscle tension. Improving blood flow stimulates the circulation of lymphatic fluid, allowing the body to flush out toxins. In short, it promotes recovery!

To properly elevate, you should make sure to keep your legs above the heart. This will allow gravity to carry fluid back toward your heart. Elevate for about 20 minutes before you go to sleep.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Are you surprised that this comes up again? (here and here in case you were wondering!) Not only does hydration play a huge role in performance and injury performance in athletes, it also plays a role in recovery. To keep your hydration levels in check, monitor your urine’s color throughout the day. Your urine should be light in color. If it’s darker, you’re likely dehydrated and will need to level up with fluids. Here’s a tip for the more health conscious: One great way to take in more fluids is to eat water-rich vegetables and fruits. So, load up on that Cobb salad at The Brown Derby!

Moisturize

Believe it or not, your skin will need hydration after a long park day. Long exposure to the sun (especially without sunscreen) can damage skin cells, leading to dryness and skin pigmentation. Make sure to use a lightweight moisturizer so that your skin can absorb the moisture it needs. 

Sleep

If there is one tip on the top of the list of recovery tips, it’s that you should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep. The proper amount of sleep allows for recovery of all parts of the body – the joints, muscles, tendons, even the brain and central nervous system. Adequate sleep also allows for optimal cognitive function, meaning that you’ll be even better at timing which attractions to ride the next day!

Warming up the next day

After a few days of non-stop walking, the muscles will likely develop some achiness and tightness. To better prepare your muscles on the morning of your next park day, perform dynamic stretches right before you hit the parks. Dynamic stretches (unlike static stretches) are active movements that put your muscles and joints through their full range of motion. An active warm up will get the blood flowing and get the muscles, tendons, and joints ready for the day.

So, there you have it – my top tips to improve your recovery after a day in the Disney parks. Remember, if you like what you read, help me out by liking my post and sharing it with your friends. If you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas you would like me to blog about in the future, feel free to leave a comment down below!

Remember, these are only suggestions. While I am a practicing physical therapist, it’s always recommended that you speak to a medical professional who knows your particular situation before you travel.