Solar-powered trash cans have arrived in yet another EPCOT World Showcase Pavilion. Unfortunately, with every new installation, a beloved and completely unofficial festival dining tradition inches closer to extinction.
Morocco World Showcase Pavilion Update at EPCOT
On July 14, WDWNT reported that Walt Disney World Resort had installed multiple solar-powered trash and recycling bins in the Morocco World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT. The outlet shared a photo of two of the new units, which feature an EPCOT World Showcase emblem and a hygienic foot pedal that allows guests to open the lid without touching it.
Morocco joins a growing list of World Showcase locations that have received the solar-powered update in recent weeks. The same model has already appeared in the Mexico, American Adventure, and Germany World Showcase Pavilions, as well as the Refreshment Outpost area between the China and Germany Pavilions. The cans have also been spotted at Magic Kingdom Park, and Walt Disney World Resort even introduced an indoor version in the Mexico Pavilion — identical in design but without the solar panels on top.
The solar-powered compactors crush waste and recycling internally, allowing a significantly higher volume of garbage to accumulate before custodial cast members need to swap out bags.
The Tradition That’s Disappearing With Them
Despite the operational benefits, the new cans have generated frustration among a specific and passionate group of EPCOT regulars. During the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, and other busy seasonal events, the flat tops of traditional trash cans have long served as impromptu high-top dining surfaces for guests grabbing small plates and drinks from kiosks around the World Showcase Lagoon. It’s an unofficial but deeply ingrained tradition that requires nothing more than a flat surface and a willingness to stand and eat.
The new solar-powered cans eliminate that option entirely. Their curved, dome-shaped tops make it physically impossible to balance a tray, a plate, or a drink cup on the surface — effectively removing a beloved DIY dining solution from pavilion after pavilion as the rollout continues.
Walt Disney World Resort has not commented publicly on the expanding installation or acknowledged the fan debate surrounding it.
Which EPCOT seasonal festival is your favorite? Share your thoughts with Disney Dining in the comments!
