Disney World Pushes Ahead With Animal Kingdom Takeover, Replacing Familiar Park Feature

A change that started as a small experiment at Walt Disney World is becoming increasingly difficult to miss.

Disney has continued replacing traditional trash cans with new solar-powered units, and the latest expansion has reached another section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. New smart trash and recycling cans are now appearing throughout Asia, adding to a rollout that Disney eventually plans to bring across much of the resort.

For guests who prefer Disney’s classic themed trash cans, the good news is that they haven’t completely disappeared. At least not yet.

But the newer versions continue to spread.

More Solar Trash Cans Arrive in Asia

Guests walking through Asia can now find pairs of the new trash and recycling cans in several locations.

They’ve appeared along Maharajah Jungle Trek, near the bridge between Asia and Discovery Island, and in western portions of the land.

Disney hasn’t finished the transition. Some of Asia’s traditional brown trash cans remain, including in areas closer to Expedition Everest.

That creates an unusual situation where guests can see both generations of Disney trash cans during the same walk through the land.

And there are some obvious differences.

The new cans have a dark green finish and a much larger, boxier appearance. Each pair includes separate containers for trash and recycling.

The curved solar panel on top may be the biggest visual change, but Disney has made an effort to keep them connected to Asia.

Disney Keeps a Familiar Animal Kingdom Design

Disney’s old Asia trash cans featured a red triangular decal with a gold tiger and stylized clouds.

That artwork hasn’t disappeared.

Disney carried the tiger design over to the new solar-powered cans, giving them at least one recognizable connection to the units they’re replacing.

That approach could become increasingly important as Disney introduces the cans throughout the resort.

Trash cans have long been an overlooked part of Disney’s theming. Different lands often have their own colors and designs, allowing something as ordinary as a garbage can to fit into its surroundings.

The solar cans have a more standardized shape, but Disney can still change their colors and artwork.

We’ve already seen that happening at Animal Kingdom.

When solar cans arrived around the entrance plaza and The Oasis, Disney incorporated Tree of Life artwork into the design. Asia now has its own version.

There’s More Going on Than a New Look

Disney isn’t making this change simply to give its trash cans a modern appearance.

The technology inside is the bigger story.

Solar energy powers an internal compactor, allowing each unit to hold more waste. Sensors can also alert custodial Cast Members when a can is getting close to full.

Guests can use a mailbox-style opening to throw away their trash or recycling. There’s also a foot pedal near the bottom for hands-free operation.

For Disney, those features could make managing waste around its enormous theme parks more efficient.

And these cans are headed to many more places.

What Started at EPCOT Is Spreading Across Disney World

Disney began testing this concept at EPCOT in December 2024, when a solar-powered smart trash can appeared in the Germany Pavilion.

The test grew to roughly 10 units around Germany by May 2025.

Disney eventually decided to go much bigger.

In June 2026, the company confirmed plans to introduce the solar cans across all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney Springs, and both water parks.

By July, themed versions had reached Animal Kingdom’s entrance and The Oasis. Now, the rollout has pushed deeper into the park with the additions throughout Asia.

Magic Kingdom has also received test units during the larger rollout.

The process isn’t happening overnight, but it certainly isn’t slowing down.

Disney World’s Trash Cans Are Changing

Plenty of traditional Disney trash cans remain around the resort, including inside Animal Kingdom.

Still, every new batch makes the direction of this project clearer.

The solar-powered cans are no longer limited to a small experiment tucked away inside EPCOT. Disney is actively expanding them while finding ways to adapt their appearance to different themed environments.

Asia is simply the latest example.

Guests heading toward Expedition Everest or Maharajah Jungle Trek may still encounter some familiar brown cans. They’ll also see the larger green replacements steadily moving into the neighborhood.

Disney World’s solar trash can takeover is well underway, and this is one change guests should expect to see a lot more of.