ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Starting August 16, Disney World is modifying a policy that bans employees from bringing guns on property. The theme park giant has received informal backing Friday from the State Attorney General's Office.

Disney is claiming an exemption from a new state law allowing workers to leave guns in their cars. The ban no longer affects all local Disney employees. Disney employees who work outside the resort areas, like Disney offices in Celebration or at OIA, can now bring guns to work and leave them in the parking lot.

Disney told its employees Friday afternoon about the revised policy, which it first brought out in June. It still says that no cast member may bring a firearm onto resort area property at any time. That includes the theme parks, hotels and Downtown Disney.

Disney said its priority is safety, since it stores fireworks on site. But any workers who have offices away from the main resort area can now take advantage of the new state law. It came into effect in July and allows workers who have a concealed weapons permit to keep their guns in a company parking lot inside their locked car.

Former Animal Kingdom security guard Edwin Sotomayer challenged Disney's policy and lost his job. He remains out of work, pending an appeal that his attorney, Jon Gutmacher, filed Thursday. Gutmacher calls the Attorney General's decision one that has no legal value and one that won't affect Sotomayer's case.

"This is just an understanding. It's not about what the law is or isn't. They're offering a gentleman's agreement as to what they don't want to do," he said.

Disney's gun ban does not extend to park visitors, but does include Disney employees who are visiting the resort areas on the job or on their personal time. Anyone who breaks the policy stands a chance of being fired.

Sotomayer's appeal could be heard in a couple months. His goal is to get Disney to lift the lifetime ban it imposed on him.

Disney employees have been flooding the NRA and the State Attorney General with complaints. The NRA would not reveal exactly how many complaints it's received, but the State Attorney General has 95 complaints regarding Disney's policy on guns at work.