Overview
- The newest plain gray-and-black units were observed across large parts of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with sightings reported near Mickey Shorts Theater, BaseLine Tap House, Oasis Canteen, the walkway to Toy Story Land, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and The Little Mermaid area.
- The cans use roof-mounted solar panels, battery backup, internal compactors and foot pedals so staff need to change bags less often, a design led by Walt Disney Imagineering that first debuted at EPCOT in June.
- Guests and some cast members found the mailbox-style openings and pedal operation confusing, so Walt Disney World published an instructional how-to video and has been adjusting placement and user guidance.
- Outdoor models have rounded solar covers that remove the previous flat top surface guests used as makeshift tables, a change that prompted visible frustration during busy festival periods at EPCOT and is now affecting visitor behavior at Hollywood Studios.
- The rollout is staged and iterative: themed versions of the new cans already exist in some park locations, Disney may add or swap decorative treatments later, and the plain-wave installations on Tuesday and Wednesday reflect the current phase of the resort-wide replacement program.