Did you wish upon a star for all of your favorite Disney movies and shows to be easily accessed in one place? Disney princesses, Marvel superheroes, Pixar tearjerkers and Star Wars lightsaber battles at your fingertips? If so, your dream is about to come true.
Disney+, Walt Disney Co.'s response to Netflix and HBO Max, is officially set to launch at 3:01 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Nov. 12 in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands. The on-demand streaming service is a one-stop for watching all things Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and more.
Still on the fence about buying a subscription? Here are the most important details about the streaming service:
How much will it cost?
Disney Plus costs $6.99 a month in the US, or $69.99 (about $5.83 a month) if you prepay for a full year. Subscriptions include four simultaneous streams, 4K Ultra HD in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. There's no advertising.
For some comparison, you'd have to pay for Netflix's Premium service at $15.99 a month to get these same perks, though Netflix has a larger library.
However, Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine M. McCarthy has hinted in the past that the pricing may rise in the future, calling the $7 per month fee the "initial" price. Additionally, since Disney owns Hulu and ESPN+ and plans to offer a bundle of all three for $12.99, about a $5 discount.
If you are a Verizon customer, though, you may be able to catch a lucky break. In October, Disney and Verizon announced customers with a 4G LTE or 5G unlimited account and new customers of Fios and 5G home internet services can get a free year of Disney Plus.
What am I paying for?
A subscription includes four simultaneous streams. This means four devices can all be streaming at the same time, this is perfect for families who want to watch something different. Disney+ also has 4K Ultra HD in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Plus, there's no advertising.
Disney+ also offers unlimited mobile downloads on up to 10 devices to allow you to watch on-the-go.
What I can and can't watch?
Don't forget, Disney owns Marvel, Fox, and Lucasfilms (Star Wars). So, you want to see your favorite Avenger's movie? Disney+. Dying to watch The Simpsons Christmas specials? Disney+. Trying to catch the highly anticipated Star Wars series The Mandalorian? That's right. Disney+.
The service will also include Pixar and National Geographic content. Disney is planning on rolling out several exclusives on the new streaming platform and has even pushed the release of Avengers: Endgame on its platform to coincide with the launch.
Check out a comprehensive list with updates at @disneyplusnews on Twitter.
On the flip side, movies that are too new (i.e. in theaters still), like The Lion King live-action film, Toy Story 4, the Aladdin live-action, and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil will take time to join Disney+.
Movies that are still streaming elsewhere won't be available, like Mary Poppins Returns, Christopher Robin, and A Wrinkle in Time, as they are on Netflix for now.
Some '90s favorites won't be available either, including The Mighty Ducks and Air Bud.
Then, there are the much older (re: outdated) Disney Films like Song of the South and Son of Flubber. These will not be available on Disney+.
Check out a more comprehensive list at @NotOnDisneyPlus on Twitter, but note that this account is not affiliated with Disney. Also, keep in mind that Disney will definitely be adding more movies to its service after the initial launch.
Where can I stream?
Disney+ is on a wide range of devices: phones, tablets, and computers. Unless otherwise stated, the Disney Plus app is yet to be released and will be available after the initial launch. Be sure to update your device to the newest OS! Disney+ will also be available on the following media boxes and TVs.
- Roku's boxes, sticks and TVs.
- Apple TV, iPhone and iPad. App is available at the App Store.
- Phones and TVs running on Android operating systems, as well as Chromecast streamers. App is available on Google Play.
- Xbox One.
- PlayStation 4.
- Amazon Fire TV devices.
- Samsung smart TVs.
- LG smart TVs.
What happens to Disney movies and shows on Netflix?
Disney will mostly disappear from Netflix by the end of the year. Netflix has been the spot to watch Disney and Disney-owned movies and shows for the last few years. With Netflix's Marvel Defenders shows canceled and the final season of Jessica Jones having hit Netflix in June, Disney will be completely wiped from Netflix's library.
For a time, at least. An old deal between Disney and Netflix could result in movies that are exclusive on Disney+ in 2020 heading to Netflix in 2026. So, perhaps Netflix customers won't say goodbye to certain Disney movies forever.
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