In a Nutshell
pros
- Access to loads of Disney content
- Offline downloads on up to 10 devices
- Quite affordable
cons
- Limited original content
- Premier Access costs a lot
Disney+: Plans & Pricing
Basic plan
Best for simple Disney+ access
Best for ad-supported Hulu and ESPN+ access
Disney+ bundle (no ads)
Best for ad-free Hulu and ESPN+ access
How Much Does Disney+ Cost?
A basic Disney+ subscription will cost you $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. It includes access to the full Disney+ library, which includes a range of titles from the collections listed below.
- Disney
- Marvel
- Pixar
- Star Wars
- The Simpsons
- National Geographic
This is by no means an exhaustive list, and you will find various documentaries, TV series, and movies from other sources as well. There’s also a great mix of old and new content, with more being added regularly.
Another option is the Disney+ Bundle, which includes subscriptions to ESPN+ and the ad-supported version of Hulu. This costs $13.99 per month and is a great option for those who want to save a little money using all 3 services. There’s also a Bundle with the ad-free version of Hulu, which costs $19.99.
When compared to the other major streaming brands, Disney+ presents excellent value for money—particularly for those with children. For example, Netflix’s base plan starts at $9.99, and HBO Max will set you back a high $14.99 per month if you want an ad-free experience.
Optional Add-Ons
When it comes to add-ons, Disney+ has little to offer. The only thing worth noting is its Premier Access feature. With this, you can access new releases before they’re made available to the general public.
However, you will have to pay $29.99 per title, which is significantly higher than you would pay to see most movies in cinemas. Add to this the fact that most Premier Access films are released for free within a few months, and it’s hard to see the value here.
How Does Disney+ Work?
To get started with Disney+, you will have to subscribe to a new account. There’s no free trial, which is a little concerning, but the $7.99 per month subscription fee is more than fair. You will need to download the Disney+ app on the device you want to watch on and sign in. It’s available on a wide range of devices, including the following:
- Computer: Windows and macOS
- Mobile: Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire tablets
- TV: Roku, Samsung, AppleTV, Chromecast, and others
- Game consoles: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5
You will be given a default primary profile when you log in for the first time, which provides unrestricted access to all content. You can also configure up to 7 user profiles and set them up with various settings.
For example, you might like to create a child-friendly profile for your kids. This enables you to switch PG and higher-rated titles off. However, there’s one major flaw: nothing prevents your kids from just switching to another profile if they want to watch a title that you’ve blocked.
Other things you can configure include the primary language, whether titles autoplay or not, and PIN protection. You can also add your favorite titles to your profile to help Disney+ recommend relevant content in the future.
Last, but not least, the Disney+ user interface is excellent. It uses the same format as most other streaming platforms. Highlighted shows and movies are presented at the top of the screen, and you will find other titles cleverly sorted by genre, category, and more.
You shouldn’t have any trouble getting started with Disney+. But if you do, there’s a clear getting started guide available in the Help Center.
Is Disney+ Reliable and Safe?
A quick web search reveals that Disney+ usually receives decent reviews across the board. For example, it has an average rating of 3.6/5 on consumeraffairs.com.
However, there are numerous 1-star reviews based on people not being happy with the platform’s library. There were also some concerns with its billing system, although most reviews mentioning this are from the first few months of the platform’s existence.
It also receives a relatively unimpressive rating of 3.1/5 on Facebook. But once again, it appears that most negative complaints are related to Disney+’s library being more suited to kids than adults—which is something we would expect anyway. It is Disney, after all.
Help and Support
Disney+ is backed by excellent customer service. Even non-subscribers can reach out to the support team via the 24/7 live chat and phone channels. Some users have reported long wait times and concerns about the helpfulness of the support agents, but we had nothing but a positive experience.
There’s also an excellent Help Center with loads of how-to articles and useful guides. These are very well written, and many come with built-in videos and screenshots for maximum usefulness.
What About the Disney+ App?
Disney+ is available on both Android and iOS devices. It’s free, and it receives excellent ratings on both platforms (4.3/5 and 4.4/5 respectively). The mobile apps both have the same functionality as the desktop app, enabling you to download, watch, and explore content from across the Disney+ library.
Bottom Line
Since its release in 2019, Disney+ has rapidly grown to become one of the world’s largest streaming platforms. It offers a wide selection of Disney movies and TV shows, along with Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic, and various other titles.
It’s easy to use, very affordable, and comes with great mobile apps. However, it is worth noting that much of its content is targeted at children and families, and you won’t find a huge range of adult movies.
But overall, Disney+ is your one-stop shop for streaming content from the Disney universe, and we’d highly recommend it if you or your family are Disney fans.
