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Meet 'Binny,' the most famous trash can in Disney World. It has thousands of fans and has even been blessed by a priest.

Sep 25, 2023, 20:10 IST
Insider
In Disney World, even trash cans are magical to some guests.Courtesy of Iliana Rosado
  • Disney World's most famous trash can, "Binny," has thousands of fans online.
  • The bin is located in Epcot and got its name and fame from the Disney Day Drinkers Club.
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If it weren't for the endless stream of folks posing with it, "Binny" might appear to be like any other flat-topped garbage bin in Disney World's Epcot.

But to thousands of fans around the world, Binny is a superstar, no matter where it is perched.

Binny first began its rise to fame in 2021 when Skip Sher of Richmond, Virginia, founded the Disney Day Drinkers Club, an informal meetup group for folks who like to enjoy the parks' creative cocktails.

When he started the group, Sher said, he hosted the first "drinking around the world" event with just a few members. That inaugural bar crawl, where libations were ordered from each country pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, took place when face masks were required at indoor restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"At that time, people were still trying to eat or drink outside, and trash cans are just a likely spot to do that," said Sher. The small group happened to be leaning on a gray-hued bin outside of Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom pavilion when they decided they needed a mascot.

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Among the group was Rev. Sean Knox, a Roman Catholic priest and retired Air Force captain from Tallahassee, whose friend, Monica, had caught wind of the club.

"We're just sitting there, having a good time, and then Monica … she says, 'Hey, Sean, why don't you bless this, and this is where we'll meet?'" Rev. Knox recalled, referring to the garbage bin. "I had a Smithwick's beer, and I dipped my fingers in it, and sprinkled it on the can. Herein lies the origin of Binny."

Binny has since become a popular photo opportunity and meeting point

Binny has been dubbed the official mascot of the Disney Day Drinkers Club.Courtesy of Skip Sher

Over the past two years, the Disney Day Drinkers Club ("D3" for short) has grown to more than 75,000 members worldwide ranging from regular parkgoers to occasional visitors, and even Disney employees.

Some Disney watering holes have a secret D3 drink menu or specialty cocktail, and Sher said you can probably find a D3 member in almost any bar in the parks on any given day.

Binny has long been a highlight during D3 events, including meetups, bar crawls, and singles gatherings at the park. The mascot's also helped the club grow because passersby ask why people are taking pictures with a trash can, said Iliana Rosado, who's visited Binny more than 40 times.

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"I've seen how much people truly love Binny. People have decorated him up, brought their kids over to take a picture with him, and if we're hosting a crawl, the group always gets a picture with Binny," she added.

Sher told Insider that though Binny has been the mascot, it's the spirit of the group (and the liquid "spirits") and the social interactions that are its glue.

"People are becoming friends, and we even had people get married who met in the group," he said. Binny has become a must-have photo for D3 members and, at least once, an official Disney PhotoPass photographer has snapped pics of cocktail swillers posing with Binny.

And yes, like any other pop-culture icon, Binny has merch — the trash can is on D3 T-shirts, pins, coins, and more.

Binny's location may have changed, but the fanfare around it has not

Binny is a regular meetup spot for members of D3.Courtesy of Iliana Rosado

In mid-September, a D3 member posted in the Facebook group that Binny was gone.

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The post garnered nearly 500 replies before moderators turned off commenting. Comments were full of (mostly lighthearted) speculation, including fears Binny was "Bin-napped." Photos were shared of group members standing outside the Rose & Crown with confused looks on their faces — and no place to perch their drinks.

Although Disney did not respond to Insider's request for comment, a member of the group who says they work at Disney wrote that Binny was moved across the street where there's more space. Multiple group members confirmed the new location while visiting the parks using Binny's known markings, including an old scratch, to identify it.

Sher said he thinks Binny's popularity led to the celebrity receptacle's new home. Although he liked the previous location, he doesn't "want to cause any disruption in the park" or create "safety issues" and the newer, more spacious location may help them avoid doing so.

As group members have come to terms with what appears to be a new chapter for Binny, most see the humor of it all and have been reminded of what Binny stood for.

Longtime D3 member Nancy Kane, who got a legal Florida license plate that says "Binny" to celebrate the mascot, said the trash can reminds her of "the positive energy inherent" in the D3 group and the delicious drinks she's discovered since joining it.

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D3 member Nancy Kane felt so strongly about Binny and D3 that she got a legal Florida license plate that says "Binny."Courtesy of Nancy Kane

"Binny is that linchpin that started a whole series of traditions," said James Estrada, another group member. "To me, it doesn't matter that they moved it for whatever reason — it's Disney property. However, there is going to always be an official Binny and location."

But, perhaps group member Tara Raun captures the spirit of Binny and D3 best: "I think Binny has changed all of our lives. Look at this amazing fun group we have! I have made so many new friendships because it all started with a trash can."

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