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Disney made an announcement that next Friday, front line male employees at Disney parks and resorts will be allowed to grow a beard in the next change to the company’s conservative, clean-cut dress code since pantyhose became optional for female employees only in 2010.

“We’re careful to maintain our heritage and the integrity of our brand” they say. The brand includes the “Disney Look,” described as fresh, clean, neat, and approachable. The dress code covers everything from hair and style to jewelry and fingernail length.

However, beards are only allowed on men and must be worn short and neat. Facial hair has been banned at the Disney company since the 1950s opening of Disneyland in California, but was relaxed in 2000 when the company allowed moustaches with strict rules on bushiness, width, and length, they say.

Disney is also instituting “casual Fridays” when behind-the-scenes workers may wear neat jeans and polo shirts while female workers may wear sandals.

Tom Hanks, who voices Woody, recently dished that Disney Pixar is working on Toy Story 4. In an interview, he said, “I think there will be, yeah. Yeah, yeah, think they’re working on it now.” Director John Lasseter has confirmed the statement in a Cars 2 interview. Now, he didn’t come straight out and admit it, but he did confirm it through the nature of his language.

When questioned about the statement,  he awkwardly responded, “yeah, I found that very interesting too. Yeah, it was really interesting…[laughs] he’s, ah, yeah, we haven’t announced anything, so I can’t really talk.” After an awkward silence, he enthusiastically said “Cars 2 is such a good movie!”

Although the movie allegedly isn’t set in stone, Actor Tim Allen who voices Buzz Lightyear has had a contract signed for more than a year now. Back then, when the buzz (get it, Buzz?) was about Toy Story 3, the director said, “We know that people love the characters, love Woody and Buzz, and would hate to say goodbye to them completely. We don’t have any plans for [a fourth movie], but we are trying to find ways to keep the characters alive.”

Within 48 hours of the announcement of Osama bin Laden’s murder, Disney (Walt Disney Company) had filed applications with the US Patent Office to trademark the name “SEAL Team 6.” A full ten days after that, the Navy put in a request for “SEAL Team.” The Navy has already trademarked “Navy SEALS.”

The Mickey Mouse company now has exclusive rights to capitalize on “SEAL Team 6” in ways they had covered in the docs: entertainment, education, toys, games, clothing, footwear, sporting articles, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas stockings, and snow globes. The Navy cannot legally expand its commercial use of the name “SEAL Team 6.”

MetroGames of Moutain View, Calif, had also trademarked “Team 6” in May.

Within 48 hours of the announcement of Osama bin Laden’s murder, Disney had filed applications with the US Patent Office to trademark the name “SEAL Team 6.”

A full ten days after that, the Navy put in a trademark application for “SEAL Team.” The Navy already has trademarked “Navy SEALs,” which could help interfer approval of Disney’s request.

If the Patent Office approves, the Mickey Mouse company would have exclusive rights to capitalize on “SEAL Team 6” in ways the company specified on its applications. The company filed three separate requests that cover different areas of how it might use the name: entertainment and education, toys, games, clothing, footwear, sporting articles, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas stockings, and snow globes all appear in the file.

Because Disney did jump at the name quickly, they could get approval, however, Univeristy of Minnesota Law professor William McGeveran says that Disney and the Navy will most likely reach some kind of mutually beneficial agreement. Law enforcement agencies, such as the NYPD, make arrangements to lend out their trademark or vehicles in exchange for compensation or script approval. The professor assumes that Disney might want to make a movie or TV show based on SEAL Team 6 and would strike some kind of deal with the Navy.

It could also be problematic for Disney that so many other companies have been using the term “SEAL Team 6” commercially since bin Laden’s death, by selling clothing or other merch with the name. Disney has not used the group’s name commercially yet, which is why it filed an application for its intent to use.

If they do get the rights, the Navy can not legally expand its commercial use of the name SEAL Team 6. Adorable!