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Is Disneyland losing Mickey Mouse?

Even though the copyright for an old version of Mickey might be expiring soon, Disney does not have to worry about losing Mickey in its entirety. As long as Disney continues to tweak Mickey Mouse, it can get new copyrights and endlessly renew trademarks. So Mickey is here to stay!



No, Disneyland is not "losing" Mickey Mouse, but the legal status of the character has recently changed. On January 1, 2024, the original 1928 version of Mickey Mouse (from the short film Steamboat Willie) entered the public domain. This means that anyone can now use that specific, black-and-white, "rat-like" iteration of Mickey in their own creative works without Disney's permission. However, Disney still holds strict copyright protections over all "modern" versions of Mickey Mouse—the one with red shorts, yellow shoes, and white gloves—which will remain protected for decades to come. Furthermore, Disney holds a trademark on Mickey Mouse as a brand identifier. This means you cannot use any version of Mickey in a way that would mislead consumers into thinking your product is an official Disney product. At the theme parks, Mickey remains the central icon; you will continue to see him in parades, meet-and-greets, and merchandise as he remains the undisputed "global ambassador" for the Walt Disney Company.

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