Overview
- New solar-powered trash and recycling bins were spotted on Thursday at multiple World Showcase entrances, including Port of Entry, Disney Traders, Joffrey’s, the Odyssey Pavilion and Mexico.
- Each brown unit uses a foot pedal to open a smaller disposal panel, a hands-free design that park reports say improves hygiene but required a short guest learning curve.
- Solar panels on the tops power an internal compactor so each bin holds more material before needing service, and a black side handle lets cast members open the can for emptying.
- The rollout builds on a Germany Pavilion pilot that began in late 2024 and was expanded by May 2025, when cast members said the bins could signal staff when they reached capacity.
- Restored World Showcase medallions on the new cans address guest concerns over last fall’s sticker replacements and suggest Disney may be treating the units as a longer-term infrastructure upgrade, a change that could ease custodial strain during EPCOT’s festival periods.