The Beauty of the Trash Cans of Disney World
It is a common opinion among most Disney fans, that Disney thinks of everything…and I’m here to tell you that it is not opinion, it’s fact! How do I know this? Well, because even when it comes to the garbage at Disney World nothing is overlooked.
From the trashcans to clean up Disney has made sure that the parks are the cleanest around. (and let’s be honest…they really are always clean) Here are some interesting facts about the trash at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Distance is Important
When Walt Disney was opening Disneyland, he wanted the parks to be cleaner than the other places he had visited before and so he decided to do some research to help him figure out how to keep people from tossing their trash on the ground.
He figured out what the average amount of steps are starting from the purchase of food to when you need to throw it away and came up with a distance of 30 feet. Thus, at the parks there is always a trashcan within 30 feet of the another.
Walt, the Inventor of the Trashcan
Disneyland was the first place to use a trashcan with a lid and flaps. Walt didn’t want the smell of the trash to takeover the park, so he ended up designing the trashcan that the parks still use to this day. He tried selling them to manufacturers, but nobody wanted them. He used them for the park anyway, but never patented the idea and eventually others caught on to the genius of such a trashcan.
Automated Vacuum Assisted Collection (AVAC)
At Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park, they use an AVAC system to handle garbage. What is an AVAC system you ask…well it basically works like the tubes at the bank except it moves trash instead of money. There are large tubes that are located in the Utilidors underneath Magic Kingdom that move the bags of trash at 60 mph to the main holding area for trash, which is located behind Splash Mountain.
Custodial of Tomorrow Program
If you’ve ever wondered how the cast members manage to keep the parks so clean, then the Custodial of Tomorrow Program is your answer. Each day at least 40 cast members that are walking the park must carry an iPhone on them.
The phones use GPS to show their location and throughout the day when a trash can becomes full or a bathroom gets dirty the closest cast member will receive a text message telling them where and what needs to be cleaned.
Disney World Trashcans
One of my favorite things about Disney World is their attention to detail…even when it comes to trash. What am I talking about? Well, if you’ve never noticed before the trashcans that are located all around the parks are themed to their location. Some are simple in their differences, while others are unique in their designs. Here are some of my favorite ones.
Toy Story Land
The best ones are at Toy Story Land. Everything in Toy Story Land is made from some kind of toy or random object so it’s only fitting that the trashcans were made to look like they are made of blocks.
Storybook Circus
Another cute trashcan (and yes, I said cute) can be found at Storybook Circus in Fantasyland. The trashcan is decorated with red and white stripes to match the circus tent!
Asia in Animal Kingdom
This trashcan is in the Asia section of Animal Kingdom. It’s simple, with a single triangle containing clouds and a tiger, but for some reason I really like the way it looks. It’s probably because it makes me think of Expedition Everest which is one of my favorite rides.
Pandora – The World of Avatar
Pandora’s are cool because they look like they’ve been on an alien planet for a while.
Dinoland
Dinoland trashcans of course sport a dinosaur asking you to keep their land clean.
New Fantasyland
These trashcans are found in the new section of Fantasyland. I think they give it a rustic vibe which works well with the theming of the land.
Old Fantasyland
Here is the other trashcans that are found in the old section of Fantasyland. They are very elegant and cute.
World Showcase
The World Showcase has simple trashcans, but they still look nice. These are found in each country’s pavilion, except for the American pavilion.
American Pavilion
Since the American Pavilion is the host of the World Showcase, they of course get their own trashcan design. The emblem sports the number 76, which is the birthdate of our country.
Salt Shakers
Guess what, you can buy some of these different trashcans in salt shaker form. They are excellent choices for any of you who collect salt and pepper shakers.
Hello Disney Fans! Janie here. I was a Disney kid growing up and now that I am an adult I love it even more. Whether its movies, music, parks, or games I just can’t get enough of it. I visit Disney World at least twice a year and even when I’m not there it’s all I can think about!
Do you suspect that Disney custom made each receptacle or are they a commercial brand? (not referring to the paint scheme, but the brand/style of the trash & recycle cans)