The solar-powered trash can rollout making its way through the EPCOT World Showcase has arrived in the France Pavilion. This time, the new units have been designed to actually blend in with their surroundings.
A New Look for the France World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT
On Thursday, Blog Mickey reported that Walt Disney World Resort had installed solar-powered trash and recycling cans in the France World Showcase Pavilion. The new units stand out from every previous installation in the ongoing rollout — rather than arriving in the standard brown finish seen in the Mexico, Morocco, Germany, and American Adventure Pavilions, the France versions are painted green with ornate detailing along the sides.
The functional components are identical to those of the other solar-powered units that have been spreading across EPCOT and Magic Kingdom Park in recent months. A hygienic foot pedal at the base allows Disney Park guests to open the lid without touching it. Solar panels on the curved top power an internal compactor that crushes waste and recycling, allowing custodial cast members to go longer between bag changes.
The Problem Nobody Asked For
What looks like a straightforward infrastructure upgrade has become a source of frustration for a very specific group of EPCOT fans — and the issue comes down entirely to the shape of the lid.
For as long as anyone can remember, the flat tops of traditional World Showcase trash cans have quietly served as the most practical dining surface available during the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, and other crowded seasonal events. When the limited high-top tables fill up — which they do quickly during peak festival hours — guests have long relied on flat-top trash cans to hold trays, plates, and drinks while they eat along the World Showcase Lagoon promenade.
The curved, dome-shaped tops of the new solar-powered cans end that workaround. Nothing balances on them. With each traditional flat-top unit that gets swapped out for a solar-powered replacement, one more informal dining surface disappears from one of EPCOT’s most heavily trafficked corridors. The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival launches on August 27 — and between now and then, the replacement pace shows no signs of slowing.
What do you think about the new trash cans at EPCOT? Do they change your festival dining habits? Disney Dining would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
