New WDW garbage cans!!!1!!

Super deep cut, nerdy stuff here...

I haven't been in a WDW park in awhile, but today at Epcot I noticed that they replaced all of the garbage cans. As they are a strangely iconic means of setting things down on, or eating from during the festivals, I have mixed feelings about them. First, some observations...

• They have solar panels on top, which implies that they do something electronically. I imagine that thing is to phone home when they get full. Operationally, I can see why that would be excellent.
• They have foot levers on the front to open them.
• The "window" when they're open is too small, so it feels like you need to unnecessarily angle stuff in.
• You can't do a drive-by toss, as you could before with the open, and even push-doored models.
• I think the intention here is to not need plastic bags, which I'm all for.
• The capacity of the bins inside seems like less than what you'd get from the old bagged models.

I guess it's a step in the right direction, but the slower depositing, especially if you're carrying something else, may lead to a subtle increase in midway discards. Also, I'd be these things cost like a grand each. And if they're like every other "smart" device, when the network goes down, you'll know because the cans will all be overflowing.

See, this is the kind of thing that’s gonna bring me back to Disney for the first time in 40 years.

I would have guessed the solar panel is to power some kind of compactor - no?

When I worked at a movie theater back in high-school I knew it was time to empty the garbage can because I walked passed it and noticed it was full.

This seems...goofy. (pun intended)

Is there a problem with non-electronic garbage cans that needed fixed?

And I get the environmental advantage of not needing plastic bags, but without some kind of liner inside aren't these going to become pretty repugnant pretty quickly, or do they all have a $500 bidet installed inside?

My aunt has a trash compactor style garbage can. I never experienced one of these before she got one. When I house sit for her, it takes forever to fill it up. If this is what the solar panel for the EPCOT cans are for, it would help greatly with mess and the frequency at which it needs emptied.

They are made by Big Belly. The solar power is for compacting within the unit, as well as communication to a management system to monitor levels. These can hold a lot more garbage so you have less of a need for constant emptying, which translates to me as less labor. Personally I do not like the look of them, especially in themed areas like Frontierland.

Of course what’s the biggest complaints about this on Disney sites? The top isn’t flat, so they can’t function as tables during Food and Wine.

Eating on top of a garbage can sounds so appealing to me.

Jeff:

these things cost like a grand each.

Closer to 5k, but maybe Disney got the price down in bulk. There is an ongoing subscription service too.

I don't think there is a world where this reduces traditional operating expenses, but reducing labor might be what they are after.

Mulfinator:

Eating on top of a garbage can sounds so appealing to me.

It's an Epcot Festival Tradition!

These have been used on the campuses of the University of California San Diego for about six years now. They are connected to the Facilities Management Office. When a trash can is full it immediately sends that information to the FM office and a senior custodian is dispatched to service it.

I knew this community would have all of the details. Y'all never let me down.

Using garbage cans as a flat surface for, really anything, is kind of a thing. I've definitely put down a drink or a diaper bag (if you go back far enough) on them whilst fishing around in pockets or whatever.

But man, if they cost thousands each, I'm not sure how long it takes to recover any potential labor savings. Also, I thought the recycling label was just for fun, that they sorted all of their garbage anyway. Is that not true?

I want to say that Cedar Point used the Bigbelly cans at Farmhouse and BackBeatQue (and maybe elsewhere) for a couple seasons but they have since gone away, so the park apparently had second thoughts about using them long-term. I remember the Bigbelly cans being extremely messy inside and out, especially with the wax paper and sauce at BackBeat.

^ I remember those cans with the foot pedals and solar panels. The hatch never opened wide enough, so they were always messy—I hated them.

I don't recall ever seeing them being emptied, but if they hold 150-liters like the website says, that would be quite the undertaking. Just think of all that garbage juice. Yuck!

Jeff:

Also, I'd be these things cost like a grand each.

The current trash cans that Disney uses are about a grand each, which is crazy considering how many they probably have. But that also explains why they take such good care of them.

About a decade ago, when I worked in attractions, we were upgrading all of the trash cans in one of our water parks. What seemed like a simple project quickly turned into an epic quest. The operations team conducted exhaustive research and held multiple meetings to carefully evaluate every imaginable trash can feature before finally selecting a trash can model.

Looking back, it's both wild and hilarious. Put a group of theme park managers in a conference room and tell them the topic is trash cans, and you'd think world peace was on the agenda.

The amount of time and energy invested in choosing a trash can was remarkable. It's one of those moments that reminds you that in the theme park industry, no trash can is just a trash can.