Credit: UniversalWe have spent an unreasonable amount of this summer talking about trash cans.
That is not a complaint, exactly. It is just what happened. Solar-powered trash cans started appearing at Walt Disney World in June, and what began as a minor curiosity turned into one of the longest-running storylines of the season. Magic Kingdom got them near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Disney’s Animal Kingdom got them. And EPCOT has been converting World Showcase pavilion by pavilion at a pace that suggests the whole park will be done by fall.
Just this week, we covered Japan and Italy joining the list, both getting the plain brown World Showcase treatment rather than anything custom. Days before that, The American Adventure got its patriotic versions back after they mysteriously vanished in July, complete with white fronts, navy sides, gold accents, and a shield bearing the number “76.”
Along the way, Disney released an instructional video explaining how to use a trash can because too many guests could not figure it out.
Today, the story crosses I-4.
Universal Orlando Resort has received its first solar-powered trash cans, and they are the same ones.
Where the Cans Are at Universal Orlando Resort
The bins have been spotted at Universal CityWalk.
Most of the new cans are positioned on the bridges connecting CityWalk to Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, which are among the highest-traffic walkways on the entire property.
One pair, a trash can and a recycling bin together, was found on the bridge outside Universal Islands of Adventure.
Solar-Powered Trash Cans Arrive at Universal Orlando Resorthttps://t.co/OtXT4xt5eL
— Universal Parks News Today (@UniNewsToday) August 6, 2026
How Universal’s Version Looks Different
Here is where Universal made a choice worth noting.
The bins feature the CityWalk logo on purple decals with neon artwork. That is a real design decision, and it fits the CityWalk aesthetic in a way that generic bins would not.
Compare that to how the Disney rollout has gone. Some Disney locations received customized designs, most notably The American Adventure at EPCOT with its patriotic scheme. But the majority of World Showcase pavilions, including Japan and Italy this week, got plain brown cans with a generic World Showcase compass medallion and nothing more.
Universal’s first installation went straight to branded decals. Whether that continues as the rollout expands to other areas of the resort is worth watching, but it is a notable starting point.
The Technology Is Identical
Underneath the decals, these are the same units.
Built-in solar panels sit on the curved tops. That collected energy powers internal trash compactors, which lets the bins hold significantly more waste before they need to be emptied.
The operational logic is the same reason Disney committed to them. Fewer emptying runs for team members, and fewer overflowing containers on busy days.
The bins can be opened by hand or with a foot pedal.
Universal May Need Its Own Tutorial
That last detail is where things get interesting, because Disney has already run this experiment.
The hand-or-pedal design has proven genuinely confusing for Disney guests. Some cannot locate the opening. Others have tried putting trash into parts of the unit that are not openings at all, including the handles. It got bad enough that Disney released an official instructional video demonstrating both methods.
Early signs suggest Universal may run into the same thing. A discarded cup was spotted sitting on the ground next to one of the new CityWalk cans.
One cup is not a trend. But it is exactly the behavior that showed up at Disney in the first weeks, and Universal may want to get ahead of it rather than waiting to see how it plays out.
The Accessibility Questions Follow Too
The concerns raised about these bins at Disney apply equally at Universal, since the hardware is the same.
The foot pedal is excellent for hygiene, since it eliminates hand contact and helps limit the spread of illness. But many wheelchair users cannot operate a foot pedal at all. These cans are also taller than typical bins, which puts the flap higher and can make it difficult for some wheelchair users to pull.
The issue is not limited to wheelchair users either. Guests with other mobility limitations may struggle to lift a foot to the pedal or to grip the flap and handle. Children may have trouble with both the pedal and the height of the opening.
Offering two methods is better than offering one. It is still not the same as being usable for everyone.
Why Both Resorts Are Doing This
The reasoning is not complicated, and it is the same on both sides of the highway.
Compacting waste means each unit holds substantially more before it needs service. That reduces labor, reduces the number of times a team member has to interrupt other work to empty a bin, and cuts down on the overflowing cans that become a real problem on peak days.
For two resorts that each handle enormous crowds in Central Florida’s heat, that math adds up quickly.
Disney has confirmed its bins will eventually reach all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney Springs, the water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and additional resort locations.
Universal has not announced the scope of its own rollout, but starting on the CityWalk bridges suggests they are testing in a high-visibility, high-traffic area first.
What to Watch Next
Two things worth tracking from here.
First, whether Universal expands beyond CityWalk into Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe, and how quickly.
Second, whether Universal keeps designing branded versions for each area, as it did with the CityWalk decals, or settles into a generic look, as most Disney locations have.
Because if there is one thing this summer has proven, it is that theme park fans will absolutely notice the difference. Even on a trash can. Even in August.
