Disney World is constantly changing. We recently reported on additions that are causing frustration for some guests. The change removed a place to conveniently eat quick service food at the parks and made using the device more difficult.
The change drew enough complaints that the president of Walt Disney World mentioned their solution to us during a media briefing as part of their ongoing efforts to hear guest feedback. Here are the latest details on the change, including my personal experience during my most recent trip and the comments from the Walt Disney World president. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including new details on new rides and a restaurant reopening date.
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Disney World Trash Can Changes
Disney World has been rolling out new trash can designs across the theme parks. The rollout began in EPCOT. The cans feature a curved top with a solar panel that powers trash compacting inside. The can is meant to hold more trash and need to be emptied less often.
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To operate the can, guests need to use their foot to press down on the bottom foot pedal that swings open the mouth of the can. Once it is open, you can then put in the trash and remove your foot. The bottom then swings up.
Guests initially pushed back on the design because of the ongoing habit of EPCOT visitors to use the trash cans as tables during the popular EPCOT festivals that happen throughout the year. The can is replacing the longtime Disney Parks trash can design that features the easy to use flap at the top of the can. That can’s lid also has a flat top that is easy to use as a table.
We heard from Joe Schott, the new President of Walt Disney World who directly mentioned this trash can issue. He is about a month into the job. He shared that the leadership team immediately heard the comments about the trash cans removing places to eat and someone had a bright idea.
One of his leaders had an idea from Disneyland that they decided to try in order to provide more places to eat with the trash cans going away. They have added in pop out counter tops that attach to existing fences or fixtures. That leader had come from Disneyland and knew that they had the same issue of lack of eating space during the Disney California Adventure food festivals. In Disney California Adventure, they added in tabletops that extend off existing railings.
Disney has implemented some of these railing tables already in World Showcase at EPCOT. Perhaps more will be coming also to the other theme parks. When we first heard about these tables, we thought they were likely related to the trash can change, but now we have confirmation.
This topic came up as part of Disney’s renewed focus on listening to fans. Disney parks leadership recently made announcements around new rides and fixes to existing ones that specifically focused on fan desires. See all those announcements here.
The new President, Joe Schott, strikes me as someone who listens to fan feedback and is actively watching the Disney online community for situations like this. I have already been impressed by his deep knowledge of the Disney theme parks and look forward to seeing some of his mark on the theme parks. He started as a Jungle Cruise Skipper in Magic Kingdom and worked his way up to Walt Disney World President with recent roles at Disney Parks around the world.
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Schott spoke about how he follows all the content out there about Disney World very closely and wants to understand guest feedback. He said that he also expects the leaders at the resort to be watching and understanding guest feedback in the same way. The fact that he proactively brought up the trash can situation also demonstrates that he won’t paint everything that they try as a success. He said that they are going to continue to try new things and that some things will work and others will need to evolve.
This past week was the first time that I experienced these new trash cans across the theme parks. While they are not difficult to use as some have suggested, they are cumbersome and take longer to throw something away than the previous designs did. Unfortunately you now need to completely stop walking when trying to throw something away.
On multiple occasions this week, I caught myself carrying something to toss in a trash can far longer than I would have with the old trash can designs around me. This problem might be reserved for those who are pretty aggressively touring the parks at a fast pace, but I was a bit annoyed by the new designs for this reason.
I don’t know how Disney could correct for that part of the trash can change problem, but I do quite appreciate how quickly they moved to solve for the more widely discussed issues of places to eat at the theme parks.
What do you think of the new trash cans at Disney? Are there any other changes that you would like to see them make at the theme parks based on any recent additions?
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