Disney to allow employee beards for 1st time

ORLANDO, Fla. - Workers at Disney's theme parks will be allowed to grow beards and goatees for the first time ever.

A Disney spokeswoman said Monday that the new policy will apply to workers in Florida and California starting next month.

Disney had prohibited all facial hair on its theme park workers since Disneyland opened in California in the mid-1950s. The company revised its policy in 2000 to allow mustaches, provided they were grown on vacation and not at work.

Starting Feb. 3, beards, mustaches and other facial growth will be allowed.

Disney periodically reassesses its grooming requirements. The Disney spokeswoman says officials decided now was a good time to revise the hair policy.

The policy change also allows workers in areas without visitor contact to have casual Fridays.