Disney World Just Brought Its Solar-Powered Trash Cans Indoors

Walt Disney World Resort’s rollout of solar-powered trash cans at EPCOT has taken a puzzling new turn. The latest model to appear is inside a building, which raises an obvious question: how exactly is it supposed to be powered?

A Solar Panel Without Any Sun

On Wednesday, WDWNT reported that a new trash can matching the design of EPCOT’s recently introduced solar-powered waste receptacles had appeared inside the Mexico World Showcase Pavilion, positioned near several merchandise kiosks and the entrance to the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. The indoor location makes solar power impossible for the internal compactor, which is precisely what makes this particular installation so head-scratching.

Walt Disney World Resort appears to have anticipated the obvious issue. The indoor version doesn’t have solar panels on top — a logical omission given its location — but is otherwise identical to the outdoor models that have been popping up around the EPCOT World Showcase since May. It shares the same brown color, the same general shape, and the same foot-pedal opening mechanism, making the new cans more hygienic for guests to use without touching a lid.

So while this particular trash can won’t be running on solar power anytime soon, it does bring the cleaner, more accessible design of the new receptacles inside one of EPCOT’s most popular pavilions.

A Separate Trash Can Development on the Same Day

Also on July 8, the patriotic versions of the solar-powered trash cans that had been placed in the American Adventure World Showcase Pavilion for the Fourth of July weekend were apparently removed.

Whether they were pulled for maintenance, to have the American flag decals removed following the holiday, or for an entirely different reason hasn’t been confirmed by Walt Disney World Resort.

Not Everyone Is a Fan

The solar-powered trash can rollout has generated some grumbling from a specific subset of EPCOT regulars. During the park’s busy festival seasons, the flat tops of traditional waste receptacles have long served as impromptu dining tables for guests who can’t find seating — a workaround the new models’ design doesn’t accommodate as easily.

Walt Disney World Resort has not commented publicly on any aspect of the solar-powered trash can installation at EPCOT.

What do you think about the new solar trash cans at Walt Disney World Resort? Share your opinion with Disney Tips in the comments!