Sun.com Customer Experience and Stuff: Notes from the Sun.com customer experience team.

Did you ever notice the trash cans at Disneyland?

I've always regarded Disney's attention to rubbish can decor as a gentle reminder of their obsession with creating immersive experiences for guests at the parks. Rubbish cans are a really interesting design challenge for Disney, because they need to be obvious (so that guests don't drop rubbish on the ground), and yet for aesthetics the cans also need blend into the theme of the land or area that they're part of.

Here are some photos we took recently while in Southern California.

Adventureland. Note how the "primitive" designs on the waste  can blend with the rest of the theme of Adventureland in the background.		Stencil and rust paint give and adventuristic, industrial look for Indian Jones & the Temple of Doom.
'It's a Small Small World' creator Mary Blair's geometric forms and pastel colors are emulated on this Small World waste can.	Even though the skyway ride (departing from a Swiss Chalet) is long gone, this Fantasyland waste can still sports a "Swiss" themed lettering and decoration.	A modern look for this Tomorrowland waste can. Blends perfectly with the death ray above it.
A can outside the Monsters, Inc attraction at Disney's California Adventure (DCA).	A pavement can at DCA Hollywood Pictures Backlot. A "city" theme predominates on the main street.	Waste can for the Hollywood Tower Hotel, outside the Hollywood Tower of Terror at DCA.
One of several Paradise Pier styles at DCA.	Another Paradise Pier style, in blue (right). Note the more generic recycling receptacle at the left.
A can near the Route 66 store at DCA Paradise Pier.	Yes, yet another Paradise Pier style, this time in yellow.
A DCA bug's land can (right) paired with another generic Jiminy Cricket recycler.		At DCA's Condor Flats* near "Soarin' Over California"
Grizzly Peak at DCA.	Grizzly Peak is to your left (sporting a brown waste receptacle). The Bay Area is to your right (as represented by the off-white receptacle).
Rubbish can and ashtray at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel adjacent to Grizzly peak.	A "Keep the Bay Area Beautiful" slogan adorns these understated rubbish bins for the Bay Area in DCA (right), paired with another generic recycler (left).
Rubbish can and ashtray at the Disnelyand Hotel. Note the embossed hotel logo.	An oh-so-generic waste can used to transition between the Disneyland Hotel and the Downtown Disney shopping district.	That same generic waste can (lower left) in context
Downtown Disney. Tasteful, but not heavily themed since theming would compete with the many varied shops at Downtown Disney.	A rattan waste can at Disney's Paradise Pier hotel.

Is there a lesson? I think it's that detail matters when designing experiences, even when it comes to the little things that most of us don't even think about, like trash.

* Thanks to Matt at StartedByAMouse.com for the photo from Condor Flats to round out the collection. See Matt's collection of DCA rubbish cans for many more.  Also of interest: Trash Cans of Disney World on Flickr.

P.S. Brits: Yes, I know I am following the imprecise American usages for rubbish, trash, garbage and waste. Sorry, it's my upbringing.

Tunes: Adriana Caselotti: With a Smile and a Song

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