The solar-powered trash can rollout at EPCOT has reached the France World Showcase Pavilion. However, this latest installation comes with a detail that sets it apart from previous versions that have appeared around the park.
The Latest News From the France World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT
Blog Mickey reported on July 16 that Walt Disney World Resort had installed solar-powered trash and recycling cans in the France World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT. Unlike the standard brown units that have been appearing in the Mexico, Morocco, Germany, and American Adventure Pavilions, the France versions are painted green with ornate detailing on the sides — a nod to the Parisian aesthetic of the surrounding area.
The functional design is identical to the other solar-powered units across the park. Each features a hygienic foot pedal at the base, a curved top with solar panels, and an internal compactor powered by those panels — crushing waste and recycling to significantly reduce how often custodial cast members need to swap out bags.
Why This Matters During Festival Season
What might seem like a straightforward operational upgrade is proving to be anything but for a segment of EPCOT's most devoted festival attendees. The problem isn't the cans themselves — it's their tops.
For years, the flat surfaces of traditional World Showcase trash cans have served as impromptu high-top dining tables during the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, and other seasonal events. When seating fills up — which it does quickly during busy festival periods — guests routinely use the tops of trash cans to set down food trays and drinks while they eat and people-watch around the World Showcase Lagoon.
The new solar-powered cans make that impossible. Their curved, dome-shaped tops can't support a tray, a plate, or a cup without it sliding off. With each traditional flat-top can that gets replaced, another informal dining surface disappears from one of EPCOT's most densely trafficked stretches.
Have you ever used a trash can as a dining table during an EPCOT festival? Share your experience with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
