Disney's New Trash Cans Disrupt Park Dining Tradition

Walt Disney World is testing new solar-powered trash cans at EPCOT that can automatically compact garbage. The bins, which can run on either solar power or electricity, are designed to hold more waste than traditional trash cans.

The design of the new bins has disrupted a long-standing tradition among some park visitors: using trash cans as makeshift tables. This practice, which began as a joke but became popular enough that small cottage industries developed around it, allowed visitors to easily place food trays and drinks on top of the traditional trash cans.

Theme park expert Tharin White explained that this phenomenon was particularly common during busy food festivals, when table space can be scarce. He noted that at one point, visitors could even buy custom tablecloths designed specifically for Disney's trash cans to create makeshift picnic areas within the park.