Universal Orlando Resort got the trash cans. Yes, those trash cans. And they immediately made Disney look lazy.
Some background, because this saga has been running all summer.
Look, we have spent an unreasonable share of this year talking about garbage bins. Solar-powered cans started landing at Walt Disney World back in June, and what began as a minor oddity became the longest-running park story of the season. Magic Kingdom got them near Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Disney's Animal Kingdom got them. And EPCOT has been chewing through World Showcase, pavilion by pavilion, at a clip that could have the whole park converted by fall.
This week alone, Japan and Italy joined the pile, both stuck with plain brown World Showcase cans and no custom design whatsoever. A few days before that, The American Adventure got its patriotic ones back after they mysteriously vanished in July. White fronts, navy sides, gold trim, a shield stamped with “76.”
And somewhere in the middle of all this, Disney released an actual instructional video teaching guests how to use a trash can. Because they could not figure it out.
Now the story crosses I-4.
Universal Has Them Now
Universal Orlando Resort just got its first solar-powered trash cans. Same exact units.
They are in Universal CityWalk.
Most sit on the bridges connecting CityWalk to Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, which are two of the busiest walkways on the entire property.
A trash-and-recycling pair was spotted on the bridge right outside Universal Islands of Adventure.
And Here Is the Part That Stings
Universal's bins have the CityWalk logo on purple decals with neon artwork.
An actual design. Fitted to the area. Looks like it belongs there.
Compare that to how Disney has handled it. A few Disney locations got custom treatments, The American Adventure being the obvious win. But most World Showcase pavilions, Japan and Italy very much included, got plain brown cans with a generic compass medallion slapped on and nothing else.
Universal's very first install went straight to branded artwork. Whether they keep that up as they expand is the real question, but as a starting point? Rough look for Disney.
Under the Hood, Identical
Peel off the decals, and these are the same machines.
Solar panels are built into the curved tops. That energy runs internal compactors, so the bins hold way more waste before somebody has to empty them.
The exact same reason Disney committed. Fewer emptying runs for team members, fewer overflowing cans on packed days.
Open by hand or by foot pedal.
Solar-Powered Trash Cans Arrive at Universal Orlando Resorthttps://t.co/OtXT4xt5eL
— Universal Parks News Today (@UniNewsToday) August 6, 2026
Universal Is Going to Need a Video
Which is where Disney has conveniently already run this experiment.
The hand-or-pedal design has legitimately stumped Disney guests. Some cannot find the opening. Others have crammed trash into parts that are not openings at all, handles included. It got bad enough that Disney published an official instructional video demonstrating both methods.
Early signs at Universal are not encouraging. A discarded cup was already spotted sitting on the ground next to one of the new CityWalk cans.
One cup does not make a trend. But that is precisely what showed up at Disney in the first week, and Universal might want to get out in front of it.
The Accessibility Issues Came Along Too
Every concern raised at Disney applies here, because the hardware is unchanged.
The foot pedal is genuinely good for hygiene. No hand contact, less illness spread. But a lot of wheelchair users simply cannot operate a foot pedal. These cans also stand taller than standard bins, putting the flap higher and making it a real reach for some wheelchair users.
Not just wheelchair users either. Guests with other mobility limitations may not be able to lift a foot to the pedal or grip the flap. Kids can struggle with the pedal and the height.
Two options beat one option. Still not the same thing as usable for everyone.
Why Both of Them Want These
Same math on both sides of the highway.
Compacted waste means each unit holds significantly more before service. Less labor, fewer interruptions, fewer overflowing cans when the parks are slammed.
For two resorts pushing enormous crowds through Central Florida heat, that adds up fast.
Disney has confirmed its bins will eventually be available at all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney Springs, the water parks, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and more resort locations.
Universal has not announced its scope. Launching on the CityWalk bridges reads like a high-visibility test run.
What Happens Next
Two things to keep an eye on.
Whether Universal pushes past CityWalk into Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe, and how quickly they move.
And whether Universal keeps branding each area the way it did on CityWalk, or eventually settles for the generic look most Disney locations ended up with.
Because if this summer taught us anything, park fans notice everything. Even a trash can. Even in August.
