Disney Plus: UK release date change, price, and what we know

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• Disney Plus: UK release date change, price, and what we know

Disney Plus explained (Image credit: Disney) Check out our Disney Plus hub for details on everything from exclusive shows and movies to worldwide release times. When Disney didn't reveal a UK release date for Disney Plus when the streaming service launched in 2019, many of us worried that we were waiting a long time before its launch here. Well, we were right. Disney's Twitter account finally revealed the service's UK & Ireland launch date: March 31, 2020. Now, however, that date has been moved to March 24, a week earlier than expected. We also know the price now: €5.99 a month or €59.99 a year. Disney Life subscribers in the UK will likely migrate to Disney Plus, but Disney has yet to explain how that will work. However, it should mean the UK and other countries will be treated to an exceptional selection of Disney Plus originals when the service arrives here, as there's no reason to roll out shows like The Mandalorian on a weekly basis. Below, we'll explain everything we know about the launch of Disney Plus in the UK.

Disney Plus UK Release Date: Changed

Disney Plus has a new UK release date: March 24, a week earlier than originally planned. It launches in Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland at the same time. Disney Plus has been coming to the UK for a long time, but it's getting closer now. Unsurprisingly, people aren't really happy about having access to the streaming service, and shows like The Mandalorian and movies like Lady and the Tramp four months after everyone else. If you've been trying to avoid Mandalorian spoilers in recent months, you know it was hell on Earth. That being said, while many Disney fans in Europe felt a little left behind by the phased release, Disney fans in South America and Asia will be doubly disappointed as they don't have a date yet. Launch of Disney Plus for service to Brazil, Japan, Argentina and dozens of other Disney-loving countries. It seems that the delayed rollout of the service has made piracy Disney Plus's worst enemy, even knowing that a firm date is on the horizon for many European countries. We saw the UK release date for Rick & Morty Season 4 move forward after backlash from fans, but making it for a full-fledged platform like Disney Plus was probably too much of a task. After all, plenty of Disney movies were still on Sky over the holidays, including most of the Star Wars movies. The delay is probably more related to available programming than anything else. Hopefully, the delay means that all episodes of The Mandalorian will arrive on day one, instead of taking place every week like they did in the US.

Disney Plus: UK Pricing & Plans Explained

Disney has confirmed that Disney Plus will cost € 59.99 for an annual subscription, or € 5.99 per month. These are the two levels available, and you can cancel them at any time. Unlike in the United States, where it is integrated with ESPN and Hulu, in the United Kingdom, Disney has so far only advertised itself as a standalone service.

Disney Plus UK: Expansion Takes Time, Assume

The best point of comparison for these release dates can be found in other global streaming services that have had staggered releases outside of the United States. Netflix, for example, launched in the United States in 1998 as a DVD rental service. It didn't move into streaming until many years later, and it wasn't until 2010 that the platform was able to expand beyond the borders of the United States. .

(Image credit: Netflix) The first international territory was neighboring America, Canada, where it launched in 2010 with a lower subscription cost and a much more limited library of titles, considering the difficulty and costs of obtaining broadcast rights abroad. It's hard to say how this factor will affect Disney Plus. In Australia, for example, Disney launched with more Star Wars movies than in the United States. 2011 also saw Netflix grow in South America, as well as the Caribbean. It was only in 2012 that Netflix hit Europe, launching in the UK and Ireland, as well as Scandinavia. Now, of course, Netflix broadcasts across vast expanses of the planet, supporting 23 languages ​​in over 190 countries. Disney Plus is further along, as it's going directly to a streaming platform. It clearly points to European expansion, with the service landing in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain in March 2020. However, it was surprising to see the UK delay by as much, given that the English-speaking audience It doesn't require the same kind of extensive localization process as most countries in Europe or Asia, but again, this is probably related to the content available.

Disney Plus UK: Our Original Launch Forecasts

(Image credit: Disney Plus) Disney had announced plans to put its platform in "all major markets within the first two years" of its life (via ScreenRant). Our initial forecast was for early to mid 2020, which was confirmed by the official release date of March 31, 2020. Of course, Disney wouldn't want to actively lose UK revenue, and these issues are more complicated than action. a switch for different regions, but the delay won't be good for English-speaking fans or those who want to avoid UK piracy. One of the most anticipated TV series of this year.