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.