The trash cans at Walt Disney World are a bit more cherished than trash cans at your typical theme park. The trash cans at EPCOT are commonly used as tables during food festivals, a trend that has become a viral joke in the Disney adult community. Some Disney adults even organized an entire group and drinking tradition around one particular EPCOT trash can.
So it’s no surprise that when Disney began replacing the trash cans, many guests would take notice. But beyond the potential loss of the “trash can table,” these new trash cans have been confusing, and viral videos have circulated online of guests leaving trash stacked on top or around them. Now Disney has released an instructional video in response. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a new viral Halloween merchandise collection returning and a second rope drop most guests at Disneyland don’t know about.
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Disney World Introduces New Solar-Powered Trash Cans
Many Disney guests have used the tops of trash cans at Disney World as makeshift tables, especially during the popular festivals at EPCOT. The flat surface of the trash cans makes for a great last-minute table!
Well, Disney has begun rolling out new trash cans across Disney World that feature a curved top due to their solar power capabilities. This means… no more table top trash cans! This news was upsetting enough for fans, but following their release, multiple social media posts went viral of photos of trash gathered around the trash cans and being shoved into the handles because guests could not figure out how to open them.
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Here’s a look at one funny comment on the situation.
“There is considerable overlap between the intelligence of the smartest bears and the dumbest tourists.” -Yosemite Park Ranger, explaining how the NPS threads the needle on bear-proof trash can design without going too far to raise accessibility concerns for humans. https://t.co/l23tRPZeOd
— Disney Tourist Blog (@DisTouristBlog) July 15, 2026
The new trash cans are solar-powered trash compactors, meaning they can hold more trash for longer before cast members have to empty them. This is a smart way to reduce workload for cast members, but since the new trash cans are confusing guests, the result has been a barrier to guests being able to use the new additions.
Disney World just released an instructional video on their cast member-focused Facebook page on how to use these new trash cans, which include a pull-down feature and a foot pedal to open the cans. Perhaps this is meant to help educate cast members to pass along the information to guests who might be struggling.
In this clip from the video, you can see a cast member demonstrating how to open the trash can.
The video shows the step-by-step process of using the foot pedal to open the trash can. You can either use the handle or the foot pedal.
The video concluded with a statement that the new trash cans will be coming to all of Walt Disney World.
This was a funny and clever way to address the confusion about the trash cans. But I’m not quite sure the average guest is watching the videos that are being released from the Walt Disney World Cast and Community Facebook Page. Unfortunately, anything that makes throwing away trash harder, even if it’s just a simple foot pedal, is going to result in some guests throwing their trash on the ground.
There’s a reason Disneyland has trash cans seemingly everywhere. Walt Disney believed guests shouldn’t have to walk far to throw something away, leading to the park’s famous practice of placing trash cans about every 30 steps. While these new trash cans are innovative and make life easier for cast members, which I love, they also add an extra step for guests. Unfortunately, even a small inconvenience can mean more people leave trash behind, resulting in more of a mess.
Some guests have also critiqued the trash cans due to accessibility since a wheelchair user would have a difficult time reaching the trash can to open it since they cannot use the foot pedal. However, the primary way to open the trash can is with the handle, and the foot pedal is just a secondary option.
And of course, we all lament the loss of a flat table top that the former trash cans provided. This curved top with the solar panels installed is not quite as ideal.
You can watch the full video below:
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