Disney Plus, also known as Disney+, is Disney's long-awaited streaming platform. This is the entertainment giant's attempt to compete with established services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. After a significant period of hype and bulky content announcements, the group hits the US, Canada and the Netherlands with already 10 million listings and a UK release due next year.
This is the service where you will find classic animated movies from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and even The Simpsons in one place. This is a huge draw, and so far, depending on how much time we spend with the app, we like the content base this service offers, with the slightest bit of a warning that many of its best original series seem distant. Read on for more of our early thoughts.
This original content begins with The Mandalorian, the first live-action television series featured in the Star Wars universe. With more original content on Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel, Disney is well-armed to take on rivals Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple Plus.
This service has a very specific angle and does not have adult content, whereas most of these other services create shows and movies for every imaginable audience. Despite some issues with startup crashes, the mouse house has performed well overall. Below, we'll explain how to subscribe to Disney Plus, how much it costs, and what we think of the new streaming service.
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How to sign up for Disney Plus
Sign up for Disney+ here and start with a 7-day trial so you can see if it's right for you, before opting for €6.99 a month. If you want more than Disney, you can sign up for a bundle (US only) that includes ESPN+ and the Hulu-funded basic package at €12.99 per month, which saves you €5 when subscribing to services individually.
This should cover all your entertainment needs: ESPN+ has your passion for sports in mind, and Hulu offers more adult-themed entertainment, as well as its own originals, like The Handmaid's Tale series. and Stephen King, Castle Rock.
Disney Plus will add more and more movies over time. If the drama series doesn't get you, you can always try again in a few months when the new Star Wars and Marvel movies hit the service.
Disney Plus: what we think
(Image credit: Disney Plus)
We've already published our Disney Plus review and we're pretty impressed by what we've seen. We're curious if Disney's schedule for creating new original content is fast enough given the speed at which its competitors are churning out new shows. That said, big projects pay off in the long run, and the current slew of movies and TV shows provide a strong foundation that Disney can build on.
The vastness of the Disney catalog means that not everything is a winner, especially when you start going straight to Disney VHS movies in the 90s, but you can't say it's not exhaustive. As well as some missing Marvel and Star Wars movies, it makes a good first impression.
To learn more about the app experience and platform content, check out our Disney Plus article.
Disney Plus App Links - Start Streaming on Your Device
As you can see, Disney Plus has launched pretty much every major platform. Disney has confirmed the list of platforms that will support Disney Plus ahead of launch. Includes Apple TV devices, Roku streaming devices, Google Chromecast, iOS and Android, PS4 and Xbox One, and the Android TV platform that supports Nvidia Shield, Sony and Hisense TVs. .
Amazon's Fire TV is also supported when it launches, following a deal between Disney and the retail giant. Look for the app on your favorite device if it's not linked in the correct box and you should find it.
Some time ago, we learned of a Disney Plus app planned for the Nintendo Switch, but at launch, no such app existed.
The Simpsons have a big problem on Disney Plus
All classic Disney+ Simpsons episodes are truncated widescreen, which means you're missing out on tons of cool visual jokes like Duff, Duff Lite and Duff Dry all from the same tube pic.twitter.com/cTy9adulFl November 12th 2019
Users have reported that pre-HD (ie best) episodes of The Simpsons are being redirected to Disney Plus to fit a widescreen report, thus removing some of the great back jokes that animated comedy is famous for. See above for a notable example, but overall, it's a bit disappointing not to have the ability to go back to the original 4:3 picture format. The audio commentary for each episode included with the DVDs is not the same. they haven't been picked up for Disney Plus, which seems like a missed opportunity.
However, other old Disney shows on the platform are shown in their native aspect ratio, so I hope Disney changes that as soon as possible.
Disney Plus broke the first day
I just downloaded and registered and this keeps coming up: pic.twitter.com/jTkdbaivGF November 12st
From day one, the Disney Plus Twitter support account received its share of complaints about connection issues on various platforms, with Disney officially responding to the glitches, saying it was "working quickly to resolve all current issues." This explains that the service has "exceeded our highest expectations", which suggests that there is a lot of demand for the service.
The demand for #DisneyPlus exceeded our highest expectations. We are delighted that you are eager to see all of your favorite movies and to work quickly to resolve current issues. We appreciate your patience. November 12, 2019
The error message in the app is: “There seems to be a connection error with the Disney+ service, please try again later if the problem persists”. Variety also reported that customers were complaining about wait times through the hotline. Since then, however, reports about Downdetector have dropped significantly on Disney Plus. So I hope it was just a topical issue.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Disney Plus FAQ: Answers to Quick Questions
- What is Disney Plus? Like Netflix, this is a streaming service, but it only contains Disney content.
- When will Disney Plus launch? Disney Plus has already launched in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. It will launch on November 19, 2019 in Australia and New Zealand, then March 31, 2020 in the UK and most European countries.
- How much does Disney Plus cost? $6.99/month in the United States ($69.99 per year), €8.99 4 in Australia and Canada ($89.99 per year), €9.99 in New Zealand ($99.99 USD per year) and €6,99 in the Netherlands ( €69,99 per year). No UK pricing has been announced.
- Where can I find it? Disney Plus has launched on iOS, Android, Apple TV, PS4, Xbox One, Amazon devices, browsers, and Android TV.
- Will Disney Plus beat Netflix? We oppose Disney Plus over Netflix to see who leads, but there's probably room for both on their live stream.
- What are Disney Plus channels? There are no channels as such, but there are five separate content hubs for Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic. It will also feature Fox content such as The Simpsons.
This is what the Disney Plus interface looks like. (Image credit: Disney Plus)
Disney Plus Release Date: US & Canada You Can Get Now
The Disney Plus streaming service launched in the early hours of November 12, a few hours before its official launch time of 6:00 am ET. If you're in the United States, Canada, or the Netherlands, what are you waiting for? Registration in Australia and New Zealand was understood on November 19.
Disney Plus is coming to the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on March 31, 2020. Good luck avoiding these The Mandalorian spoilers. It will be 4 difficult months.
Just Announced: #DisneyPlus will be available in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain (with more to be announced soon) starting March 31. Note: titles may vary from territory to territory. pic.twitter.com/lE6nzBeaXy November 7th 2019
Disney will finally offer the service to the world, but for a period of two years. You could wait a moment depending on where you live.
Disney Plus pricing and packages explained
Disney Plus is priced at €6.99 per month (about €6 / €10) or €69.99 per year in the US. The price is €8.99 for Canada and Australia (or €89.99 per year), while in New Zealand it is €9.99 per month or €99.99 per year. In the Netherlands, the price is €6,99 per month or €69,99 per year. We've put together a comprehensive guide to Disney Plus pricing tiers to help you compare it to its competitive streaming services.
You can also get Disney Plus with ESPN+ and Hulu in one bundle for $12.99 per month. And Verizon customers in the US are in luck: If you sign up for their unlimited 5G wireless, Fios Home Internet, or 4G LTE plans, you'll get a year of Disney Plus for free.
Expect more on Disney Plus UK and other countries as Disney continues to roll out this service.
All of this means the service is cheaper in the US than Netflix., At least for the moment. "I can say that our goal at Disney is to net price on Netflix, which in part reflects the fact that volume is going to drop significantly," said Robert Iger, Disney's chairman and CEO. “The (quality) content will be very high, due to the brands and franchises we are talking about, but the launch will be done with less volume and the price will reflect that.”
Iger also suggested that the price could gradually increase over time, which would not be a huge surprise. This is exactly what happened with Netflix, its investment in original content has grown in recent years.
New episodes of The Clone Wars are coming to Disney Plus. (Image credit: LucasFilm)
Disney Plus offers 4K HDR broadcasts
Disney Plus simultaneously streams up to 4 devices in 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range) at no additional cost, with up to 7 user profiles on the platform. Of course, not all content is available in 4K/HDR, and of course you'll still need a 4K TV to view content. But given that all of the original Star Wars movies have been released on the 4K service with Dolby Vision, it bodes well for future movies making the jump to Disney Plus.
Netflix, meanwhile, has a premium tier that allows access to 4K / HDR streams. The all-in-one nature of the subscription is attractive in comparison.
Disney Plus supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, making it a great choice for moviegoers.
Star Wars on Disney Plus brings another change to the shooting between Han and Greedo
Oh my goodness. This is not a joke. pic.twitter.com/RMkh7Blg7D November 12th 2019
The version of Star Wars found on Disney Plus is apparently based on the 2011 Blu-ray Disc release, but fans have noticed another strange twist to the infamous Han/Greedo encounter. Another Greedo executive said the non-existent word "Maclunkey!" It was added (via Film Stories), shortly before a new visual explosion masked the characters. It's at least a strange change, but hey, we got used to the original Star Wars trilogy. At least we can laugh about it.
(Image credit: Marvel Studios / Disney Plus)
Disney Plus: Marvel TV Shows and Movies
16 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have been released on Disney Plus in the US with more planned. You can also look forward to new exclusive Marvel TV shows featuring your favorite superheroes as the MCU officially extends to TV shows for the first time. One report suggested that these shows will have budgets of $25 million per episode. A first look at these shows is currently available on Disney Plus in a special show called Expanding the Universe.
The first of these MCU shows will be Falcon and The Winter Soldier. (played by Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan), which will take place in the third quarter/fall of 2020, approximately one year after the launch of Disney Plus. It will be 6 episodes and will feature the return of Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) from Civil War.
The many Tom Hiddleston fans will be happy to announce that the next show in Marvel's new lineup will be the Loki TV show., a six-episode miniseries featuring the rogue god. We also know from San Diego Comic-Con that the series will pick up after Loki's sudden escape to Avengers: Endgame via Tesseract. There is no doubt that you will have a lot of problems as a result.
In 2021, WandaVision, a sequel to Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), will be tied to the events of the Doctor Strange sequel, and to a Hawkeye TV show, with Jeremy Renner assuming the role and mentor. A new iteration of Hawkeye, Kate Bishop.
It's time for Hawkeye to shine! (Image credit: Marvel)
Marvel TV director Jeph Loeb said there would also be other "street heroes" coming to the Disney Plus service, with Marvel TV shows set to replace or flesh out those of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, etc. Iron Fist and The Defenders, all of which have been canceled on Netflix (via Deadline). Since then, however, Loeb's upcoming release has been announced (via THR), and Kevin Feige now oversees the television division that was previously separate from the rest of the Marvel studios. So we don't know where that leaves these characters.
Interestingly, there will also be a Marvel TV show that will put another spin on the MCU Baptized What If? From Marvel, the animated series is based on a series of comics where reality is played out a little differently for our superheroes and our favorite villains. How would Agent Peggy Carter have been successful if she had taken the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers? Many Marvel actors will reprise their roles for this anthology show, making it much more than just a curiosity.
At Disney's D23 Expo in late August, Marvel's CCO Kevin Feige announced three new series - She-Hulk, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel - which would debut on the service, dramatically expanding the MCU by introducing new characters. Even with those to come, there are plenty of Marvel spin-offs that we still want to see make it to the small screen.
For older MCU movies, you can expect them to be removed from Netflix as soon as contracts expire before being transferred to Disney Plus at launch. During a conference call with investors, Disney General Manager Bob Iger said that Captain Marvel would be the first exclusive Disney movie on the service. Also, on November 6, it was confirmed that Avengers Endgame will be released on November 12, when the service goes live. also, moving from a previous December date. Shortly before its release, Disney also announced 8 new Marvel movies on Disney Plus, including The Avengers.
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)
Disney Plus: Star Wars Movies and TV Shows
You may remember that Disney bought Star Wars in 2012, meaning you now have rights to the entire movie library, as well as the ability to create original programming in this universe. So expect plenty of Star Wars movies and TV shows on Disney Plus. All the movies from episodes I to VII will arrive on the first day, then the movies and spin-offs will arrive in 2020.
The first episode of The Mandalorian is now live, a show created by Jon Favreau (the director of Iron Man and The Jungle Book). It features a character that looks like Boba Fett, pursues the bounty hunter's heritage, and the trailers give it the look of a real Star Wars. According to rumors, the budget for this show is 15 million dollars per episode, and you can deduct the level of effects released.
This isn't the only new Star Wars episodic content confirmed for Disney Plus. Cassian's Andian (played by Diego Luna) will also be getting his own prequel TV series that explores his life before the events of the 2016 film. Although the CEO of Disney believes that there are too many Star Wars movies to appear, the television schedule is becoming increasingly packed.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series is also confirmed. Ewan McGregor will reprise his role in previous films and in the seventh season of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. But you can check exactly what movies and TV shows are available in our Disney Plus Star Wars Guide.
Disney Plus: The Simpsons and Fox Content
Disney's acquisition of Fox was a big deal, especially for Disney Plus.
Fox owns the rights to a large number of mainstream television channels., including The Simpsons, which means that every episode of the series' first 30 seasons has made its way onto the service (minus the third-season episode, Stark Raving Dad, for reasons that will be obvious to fans).
Previously, Fox held the keys to the X-Men franchise, placing heavy restrictions on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (like the word "mutant" never being used on screen). The merger now means that these characters can appear in the MCU, with the Fantastic Four. They'll likely be saved for movies rather than TV shows, but whatever it is, one day you'll likely see MCU projects based on the fact that they're both coming to Disney Plus.
Disney Plus will also feature a selection of classic '90s cartoons, including the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man. The Big Fox movie arrived on the first day of Disney Plus is James Cameron's Avatar. Fox films such as The Princess Bride and The Sound of Music will follow. You can also expect a Home Alone reboot, which we all ask for.
The remake of Mulan (2020) directed by Disney will also be presented by Disney Plus. (Image credit: Disney)
Other Disney Plus Movies, Shows and Exclusives
Marvel and Star Wars are perhaps the highlights, but Disney Plus originals stretch far beyond superheroes and space.. A large selection of new TV shows and series is in the works, including a new Monsters Inc. project called Monsters at Work (coming 2020), while since its launch you will enjoy a new document Fake on the High School Musical perennial series, brace yourself, it is called High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
An original Christmas movie called Noelle also arrived with Disney Plus at launch, starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader.
For classic Disney fans, Lady and the Tramp is offering a live remake, while animated fans from the 90s will have a new live Mulan, which will be broadcast live and streaming. The deadline suggests that projects based on Don Quixote, Sword and Stone, and 3 Men and a Baby are underway, as well as other projects titled The Paper Magician, Togo, and Timmy Failure. A game show called The Big Fib was also commissioned in November 2019.
However, if you're more interested in Disney's many decades of animated films, the company says all the movies that have been locked in the Vault will be included. This may include some of the more difficult to find images of Mickey Mouse for the first time.
The youngest will have a lot to do with the Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD programs.
Disney Plus will also feature documentaries from DisneyNature, including Dolphin Reef, commentated by actress Natalie Portman. Disney Nature works on both documentaries and animation, and will also be bringing the animated movie Penguins to Disney Plus. A documentary series titled The World D' after Jeff Goldblum will also begin with the arrival of the series. That's more or less what you expect from the title.
All original Disney Plus shows will air weekly, unlike services like Netflix and Amazon, where each episode tends to go down at the same time.
Will Disney Plus have classic Disney movies?
Hell yes. It has been confirmed that every Disney movie ever made is destined for the service.. So everything from Snow White to Frozen 2 should be available on Disney Plus sometime after its release.
What's missing from Disney Plus?
Disney's streaming service will have no content outside of the Disney ecosystem that we know of.. If Hulu and Netflix have such a wide range of content, it's because they have an extensive network of licensing deals with outside studios. Disney Plus is a more specific offer.
But of course, Disney has a lot of content to tap into, especially with a slow stream of movies and shows coming out of Fox.. It's also worth noting that there will be no R-rated or adult-directed content on the service. According to a report from Deadline, expect adult-oriented Fox movies to turn to Hulu.
Even if Disney now owns Fox, for example, that doesn't mean you'll start seeing Deadpool swear on Disney Plus.. However, there is talk of a PG-13 position in Deadpool 2's X-Force for the platform (via ComicBook).
Sorry Deadpool, but you're too old for Disney Plus. (Image credit: Fox)
It's pretty obvious, but the original Marvel TV series on Netflix won't be streaming to the new Disney Plus service that we know of. This means that Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones will not be rebooted with Disney Plus in their current iterations. They've all been removed anyway, but we can't see them leaving Netflix anytime soon. You may see them return one day, but maybe it's better to leave that time behind for the characters.
However, what you will see on Disney Plus is the terrible Inhumans series from 2017. Day one arrives.
What's next for Disney Plus?
We wait a long time before some of Marvel's biggest shows arrive in 2020., and some of the other Star Wars-based merchandise feel even more so. But over time, as the service grows, it's likely to grow in the same way as Netflix, with a steady stream of originals from different content pillars.
The Mandalorian and Forky ask a question, so they're just the beginning and this catalog of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar movies should continue to grow over time.
