Goodbye Mickey, Goodbye Duffy: Trash Can Becomes Disney’s Hottest Attraction

Guests at one Disney park aren’t obsessed with Mickey Mouse, Elsa, or even Duffy the Disney Bear. Instead, they’re visiting to say hi to a trash can. Yes, really.

Disney’s experiments with robotics are well documented — even if they don’t often come to fruition in their actual parks. Over the years, we’ve been teased by previews of advanced technology by Walt Disney Imagineering, such as the robot Judy Hopps – something fans theorized would appear at the Zootopia land in Shanghai Disney Resort in lieu of meet-and-greet characters, but never quite materialized.

Sometimes, Disney has even temporarily brought its experiments to the parks, such as Lucky the Dinosaur, the deeply missed free-roaming Audio-Animatronic Segnosaurus that would pull potted plants around DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World from June 2005 to August 2005, and briefly also appeared at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Once upon a time, Disney also had a robot trash can called PUSH the Talking Trash Can. This has popped up to greet guests in Tomorrowland in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland in Japan, and the Magic Kingdom. 

PUSH was retired several years ago, despite efforts like the #savePUSH campaign on social media. This kind of immersive entertainment has become increasingly rare in Disney parks, particularly as budget cuts continue to reduce atmospheric experiences. Still, for those willing to travel, some parks offer attractions that capture the spirit of PUSH.

Case in point, Hong Kong Disneyland.

Hong Kong Disneyland’s Talking Trash Can

The internet has gone wild over videos of the apple of every Hong Kong Disneyland parkgoer’s eye (and the recipient of their trash). The park is home to a talking trash can — who, it seems, is nameless — that moves around the park and begs guest for their garbage.

As seen in a video shared by Luckystarry_hung, the trash can rolls around while seemingly crying, looking for rubbish to eat.

 

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“I want to eat garbage,” it says in Mandarin in one video. “Is there really none?”

The same video shows the bin approaching a group of guests and asking, “Sister, do you have any garbage?” When she tosses said garbage into his mouth in response, the trash can responds, “Aah, there it is. Yum yum yum!”

Unsurprisingly, people are obsessed.

In response to the video, one user wrote, “Omg cute bebe don’t cry I will buy stuff to throw in you,” while another said it had “better social skills than me.”

At the same time, some guests are unhappy about Disney’s choice to have the robot trash can speak Mandarin. “Can’t believe they’re forcing mandarin everywhere in Hong Kong,” said one user. Another wrote, “HK speaks cantonese so im curious why it is speaking mandarin as the default.”

Hong Kong Disneyland Beyond Trash Cans

Cute though they may be, talking trash cans aren’t the main attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland. The park offers a diverse range of attractions designed to delight visitors of all ages, including classic offerings like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and “it’s a small world.”

Thrill-seekers can enjoy the exciting Hyperspace Mountain in Tomorrowland, an adrenaline-pumping journey through a galaxy far, far away, or Iron Man Experience, which takes visitors on a virtual flight over Hong Kong alongside Marvel’s iconic hero.

For younger visitors, Toy Story Land provides fun-filled adventures with attractions like Slinky Dog Spin and Toy Soldier Parachute Drop, while World of Frozen immerses visitors in richly detailed recreation of Anna and Elsa’s Arendelle.

The park also features unique experiences that set it apart from other Disney resorts. Mystic Point invites guests into a world of mystery with the acclaimed Mystic Manor, a one-of-a-kind attraction filled with dazzling effects and storytelling.

Adventurous spirits can explore Grizzly Gulch, home to the exhilarating Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, combining rollercoaster thrills with immersive theming à la Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but with a distinctive Hong Kong Disneyland spin.

Do you miss atmospheric entertainment like PUSH?