Disney World’s New Trash Can Controversy Feels Like the Skyliner All Over Again

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that we Walt Disney World fans can be myopic. We can lose the forest for the trees, excessively fixate on things, or even concoct ‘doomsday’ hypotheticals that are more hilarious than they are likely to happen. The word “we” is used there because I’ve been guilty of this, and have had to step back and reevaluate.

This was really underscored to me in 2017-2019. When the Skyliner was being built, we did monthly construction updates. I was incredibly excited for that project and pleased that there was so much interest in that coverage. Unfortunately, the discourse was dominated by a neverending line of ‘sky is falling’ scenarios.

A shocking (to me) number of Walt Disney World fans were not excited for the gondolas, but instead were openly rooting for their failure and pointing out myriad ways they were supposedly doomed. Fans acted as if they were an unprecedented system, overlooking the existence of Doppelmayr gondolas in use around the world.

I was actually reassured when Tampa proposed gondolas, and locals there raised similar hyperbolic ‘what if’ concerns. One exasperated official snidely replied to the local media that ‘this isn’t science fiction, it’s actual, proven technology–there are hundreds of this exact model in operation across the world.’ Hearing that, I realized this is nothing unique to Disney fans. It’s just the way people respond to change or try to undermine things they don’t like for whatever reason.

Over the last several years of smooth sailing for the Skyliner, during which time many fans have been won over by it, this once hot controversy has been quietly forgotten. Aside from those with fears of heights, along with legitimate complaints about Disney’s poor preparations for daily downtime during storm season and unreasonably long lines during Early Entry, most of the discourse about the Skyliner today revolves around how awesome it is.

Nevertheless, I’ve been reminded of the Skyliner outrage from ~7 years ago when reading reactions to the latest fan backlash towards the smart trash cans that are currently being rolled out across Walt Disney World. As they say, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

WDW Smart Trash Can Rollout

Like garbage inside a bin on a 95-degree day at EPCOT, fan opinions about the new smart trash cans are really starting to cook as Walt Disney World deploys the units to more locations across property.

However, these are nothing new. Walt Disney World first rolled out a single solar-powered trash compactor bin at Christmas 2024 in Germany at EPCOT. That was a test location to gather data, observe how guests and Cast Members engaged with the device, and perhaps see whether the unit would be the downfall of Disney. When the world managed to keep spinning despite the device, Disney elected to expand the test this summer.

Currently, there are solar-powered trash compactors like this all over World Showcase at EPCOT, along with select locations at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. I haven’t seen them beyond these three parks, but the rollout remains a work-in-progress. Walt Disney World has already confirmed that the smart trash cans are heading to all four theme parks, both water parks and Disney Springs, with the rollout continuing for the remainder of 2026.

Once the backlash began, Walt Disney World also released this video explaining how to use the devices:

Walt Disney World shared a new video about the solar-powered trash and recycling bins rolling out across the resort featuring built-in compactors and foot-pedal operation. pic.twitter.com/Pi4Pqlx5cn

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 30, 2026

Disney also shared that the initial pilot program of the trash can was deemed a success based on guest and Cast Member feedback. The smart cans alert the custodial team when a device needs emptying, so Cast Members no longer wander the park randomly checking each trash can. That coupled with their increased capacity makes trash collection more efficient and less frequent, while also utilizing Cast Member time more effectively.

The company also confirmed that the new smart units will be themed, with Imagineering working on designs, graphics, and color schemes that are consistent with the existing legacy bins. We’ve already seen this with the smart trash cans that have rolled out, with the ones in World Showcase having medallions, whereas ones at Animal Kingdom have the Tree of Life or other visuals.

Before we delve too deep into the trash can controversy, let’s quickly cover basic background about these new smart devices…

Disney Smart Trash Bin Basics

Upon consultation with forensic experts (e.g. social media), we’ve concluded that the devices Disney is using are almost certainly the Bigbelly Smart Max.

According to the company’s website, the Bigbelly Smart Max is a 150 gallon solar-powered waste bin designed for high-foot-traffic public environments like city centers, university campuses, transit hubs, and (theme) parks. First pioneered in 2010, the system was developed to solve the persistent problems of overflowing wire trash baskets, inefficient waste collection operations, and more in municipalities.

At the core of the Bigbelly Smart Max is its built-in internal compactor powered by an integrated solar panel. As trash is dropped into the enclosed hopper, internal mechanisms automatically compact it. This thus expands the unit’s physical capacity to hold up to 5 to 7 times more waste than a standard trash receptacle of the same size.

The Bigbelly Smart Max also has both a standard pull-handle for disposal of trash or a hands-free foot pedal to open the door. This redundancy is a nice user-friendly feature that allows you to throw away garbage while keeping your hands clean.

What elevates the Smart Max from a standard compactor to a smart trash can? Glad you asked! The device is equipped with fill-level sensors, GPS tracking, and internet connectivity for monitoring its capacity in real time. This allows for collection deployment when a bin is actually reaching capacity, as opposed to at random.

If you want to know more about the purported benefits of this on-demand collection model, check out Bigbelly’s site. That mostly seems aimed at municipalities, with the company touting that thousands of Smart Max units are now deployed across hundreds of cities worldwide, such as Philadelphia, Boston, and Dublin. The case studies and news pages reveal usage in countless airports, universities, and other public spaces around the United States, as well.

This is where the smart trash can controversy feels eerily familiar, and strikingly similar to the Skyliner. Except the key difference in contrasting Bigbelly with Doppelmayr is that the average Walt Disney World guest has probably encountered a Bigbelly or two in the wild fairly close to home, whereas gondolas were fairly ‘exotic’ to Americans back in 2017.

Our Commentary

I find this topic very fascinating, but despite that, have a more muted reaction than the loudest voices on social media. Distilling my reaction down to something simple: I see both pros and cons to the smart trash cans. A few random thoughts beyond that.

First, I’m a firm believer that you have to meet guests where they are. I’ve brought this up when it comes to Animal Kingdom needing better balance, more condensed resorts as opposed to sprawling ones, and hotel rooms that feel upscale as opposed to being thematically heavy-handed. In all of these cases, my own preferences are at odds with the consensus.

This is a similar story. Except the difference with meeting guests where they are seems to mean trash cans that are incredibly easy to use. As someone who is very good at garbaging, I do not need this. You could put the most complicated trash can of all time between me and the disposal of waste, and I’m going to shout “sivako!” and conquer that sucker every single time. I’ve yet to be defeated by a trash can, and I’m not about to get embarrassed on my home court at Walt Disney World.

I recognize not every guest is me, the Michael Jordan of trash. Some face challenges with garbage disposal. Maybe trash cans should be designed with these folks in mind. My most popular tweet of all-time acknowledges this, evoking one of my favorite quotes from the National Parks:

“There is considerable overlap between the intelligence of the smartest bears and the dumbest tourists.” -Yosemite Park Ranger, explaining how the NPS threads the needle on bear-proof trash can design without going too far to raise accessibility concerns for humans. https://t.co/l23tRPZeOd

— Disney Tourist Blog (@DisTouristBlog) July 15, 2026

Just to be clear, this is tongue in cheek. The stakes are obviously different with National Parks and the smart bears vs. dumb humans dynamic. Moreover, I don’t think the average guest will actually struggle with this design. Bigbelly is not some newfangled invention. They’ve been used in airports, cities, parks, malls, etc. for at least the last decade.

While there have been a lot of viral claims about problems with the bin or WDW guests struggling to figure out how to use them, it’s not as if these bins are untested or unproven. Walt Disney World likely brought in consultants, sought feedback from airports, and accumulated its own data during the year-plus test period at EPCOT. There will be user error or technical difficulties from time to time, sure, but I also think these concerns are massively overblown.

There are some tweaks (like the pull handle) that could make it even more intuitive, but I don’t think the design needs to be fundamentally rethought or optimized for the lowest-common denominator. That’s a fool’s errand.

With that said, one concern I do have is cleanliness. If the bin needs to be emptied less frequently, it likely receives Cast Member “engagement” less often. That creates the possibility that the bin itself ends up being dirty, stinky and/or sticky.

This might be a concern that I’m over-indexing, as a big part of what prompted this post was standing next to a couple of bins by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for thirty (excruciating) minutes during the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party mix-in while waiting for Chip ‘n’ Dale to come out. Guests used the bins often (all without challenges!) and every time the bins opened, they absolutely reeked. No exaggeration–I almost bailed on the meet & greet because the trash cans smelled so bad. Instead, I stuck around and gave further thought to trash cans.

As someone who has spent a lot of time eating off of the tops of trash cans at Walt Disney World, I have never encountered bins that smelled so foul. Perhaps this was a fluke, but it passes the smell test for me that this type of bin could be more prone to worse odor than a conventional trash can. Not only is it being cleaned less frequently, but there are more touchpoints, both for dirty hands and waste being disposed of.

This also made me wonder whether there are any instances of places being ‘sold’ on the Bigbelly based on positive results from early testing, only to discover over time that the device has more downsides than originally anticipated. Whether that be cleanliness of the bins themselves, maintenance issues, or more litter. I could see that given the complexity of the devices and inherent nature of technology.

Speaking of trash can tabletops, one big source of backlash among fans seems to be that these are not as conducive to fine dining as traditional trash cans. That might make some of you germaphobes cringe, but it is what it is.

In my cursory field testing, I didn’t find this any more or less suitable for impromptu tabletop purposes. They’re slightly higher and a tad more sloped, but still perfectly usable. (And I’m hardly tall.)

My bigger issue, and this is very niche, is that the top of this bin is less photogenic thanks to its solar panels. I do think this kind of matters in an era when it’s not just bloggers taking photos of their food and sharing them for the world to see.

The good news here is that this “problem” will hopefully soon be put to rest by Walt Disney World doing something that should’ve been done years ago: installing railing tables around World Showcase ahead of the 2026 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival.

Amusingly, fans are also discussing ‘doomsday scenarios’ about how these railing tables will fail and have to be removed in short order. Supposedly, people will sit on them and fall into bushes, parents will change diapers on them, and assorted other debauchery will cause them to be removed in short order.

We would note that Disney California Adventure has used similar railing tables to great success for several years (see photo above). Unless Walt Disney World guests are materially more ‘challenged’ than Disneylanders, we don’t see this being an issue. What I’d really love to see is these getting the seasonal wraps like DCA’s receive. Imagine festival food photos with vibrant, on-theme backdrops!

Actually, the photogenic character, or lack thereof, might be the real underlying issue with the Bigbelly units for fans. They stick out more and are uglier. Not that a traditional trash can is the pinnacle of aesthetics, but it does draw less attention to itself, and better fades into its surroundings.

It’s not a massive difference, but when you couple the more intrusive objective aesthetics along with fan familiarity (or lack thereof), these definitely stick out more.

I would also add that the Bigbelly units evoke real world settings. Since they are not yet ubiquitous, they are easily associated with certain places. They remind me of an airport, museum, or city center. They feature modern technology. They are a very minor incursion into suspension of disbelief, or transporting guests into a different time and place.

That might seem silly! But this is a very silly topic in the first place. Moreover, it’s also fair to point out that you cannot watch a single Imagineering video or read a press release without encountering the word “story” about a dozen times, and the company itself touting the importance of getting the most minute details right. Well, that’s a two way street.

Then there are the upsides. First and foremost is obviously efficiency. These hold five to seven times the waste of a traditional trash can. That’s a huge upgrade, especially in high-traffic locations, like World Showcase at EPCOT. Being able to efficiently allocate resources and empty bins when necessary is a positive.

This is doubly important given the tight labor market in Central Florida, and the difficulty of attracting quality Cast Members in the year 2026. Some fans still lament the relaxed Disney look, failing to understand that the company’s stated reasons for the change were simply PR pretenses.

The underlying issue is the tight labor market, which will only be more of an issue for frontline roles in the years to come. If making the trash cans more efficient allows for the reallocation of labor away from custodial to different positions–or even rebalances priorities within the custodial department–that’s a win.

In other words, if the trade is these new trash cans in exchange for cleaner restrooms, I’ll take it. Some fans may laugh at that notion that this is either/or, but these are precisely the kinds of compromises that will be necessary with our aging population paired with policy choices. These types of efficiencies absolutely need to be found to help ease the burden.

I am also a really big fan of the foot pedal. My years of theme park experience (and now having a toddler) have made me incredibly cognizant of cleanliness. I know those are odd words to read after I just extolled the virtues of trash can-top dining, but there is a difference. Not having to visit the restroom to wash my hands every time I dispose of waste is a huge win for me.

On the other hand, I’m curious about the upfront cost of whatever went into testing these for a year plus ordering, designing, and debuting a whole lineup of them in the parks. Disney doesn’t do anything efficiently, so this could be a massive upfront expense that takes years to pay for itself (if it ever does, given that technology needs more maintenance). Of course, if the issue is finding the labor in the first place as opposed to the cost of it, solutions like this are needed, regardless.

Ultimately, that’s more or less where I stand on the new trash can controversy at Walt Disney World. The above may seem imbalanced in favor of the downsides, but the weight of each is relatively minor for me, whereas the increased efficiency upside is fairly significant.

It’ll be interesting to see how this ends up playing out as the Bigbelly units continue to be rolled out. I assume that this is something like a repeat of the Skyliner, where Walt Disney World fans act as if a known quantity is some new and novel invention.

At the same time, I can’t help but wonder whether there actually are unknown downsides that were not revealed over the last year-plus of testing, but will become apparent over time. It’ll be interesting to see whether Bigbelly becomes the ‘standard’ trash can of Walt Disney World that generations of guests grow to love over the coming decades, or if there’s a return to the dumb devices and the smart cans are consigned to the dustbin of history. We’ll report back in 2036!

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Your Thoughts

What are your thoughts on the Walt Disney World smart trash can controversy? Do you see this as a positive, negative, or neutral change? Agree or disagree with our assessment? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!