Disney+’s Ad-Supported Tier is Now Available: Here’s Everything You Need to Know
The big day has arrived for users of Disney+. On Thursday, Dec. 8, the House of Mouse officially launched an ad-supported tier of its flagship streaming service, called Disney+ Basic. The plan’s existence was officially confirmed in May, and details about the new price tier have been trickling out ever since.
The new plan with ads is launching only in the United States initially, with international expansion of the rollout to come in 2023. Disney+ is the last of the three streaming services owned by Disney to see a price increase, which coincides with the launch of the new ad-supported plan on Dec. 8. ESPN+ saw a price bump in August, while Hulu and Hulu + Live TV experienced their price hikes earlier this fall.
How Much Does it Cost?
The new Disney+ Basic plan costs $7.99 per month, the same price that the old plan without ads used to run. Ad-free Disney+ is rising to $10.99 per month, but customers can still utilize the Disney Bundle to save money. The company is currently offering multiple bundle options. the “Duo Basic” bundle allows customers to sign up for both the Hulu and Disney+ ad-supported tiers for just $9.99 per month, just $2 more than Disney+ Basic.
The “Trio Basic” package — which includes ESPN+, ad-supported Hulu, and Disney+ Basic — runs $12.99 per month, a savings of 49% over purchasing all three individual subscriptions. And the most expensive version of the Disney Bundle — Trio Premium — includes ad-free Disney+, ad-free Hulu, and ESPN+ (which does have ads, given the live nature of much of its content) for $19.99 per month.
Additionally, existing customers can keep The Disney Bundle that includes ad-free Disney+, Hulu with ads, and ESPN+ for $14.99 per month.
How Many Ads Will I See Per Movie or Episode?
Back in May, during the company’s Upfront presentation, Disney confirmed that it would limit the number of ads to four minutes per hour on Disney+ Basic. The company also confirmed that commercials would not appear on children’s programming and that profiles set up for kids would not include ads.
Disney executives have confirmed these to be initial numbers, but have suggested that ads could expand on the service in time. If those executives are wise, they’ll avoid showing the same ad several times in one sitting, as Hulu has notoriously done in the past.
Is All Content Available to Watch on the Ad-Supported Tier?
Unlike Netflix, which has to sort through complex agreements with major studios regarding what series and movies can be shown with ads, Disney owns the content on Disney+ outright. That means that all of its shows and movies will be available on Disney+ Basic at launch.
How Many People Can Watch at the Same Time
Just like the ad-free version, users of Disney+ Basic can watch on up to four devices simultaneously.
Can You Skip or Fast Forward Through Ads?
Like on nearly all other ad-supported streaming tiers, viewers are unable to skip or fast-forward through ads. In order to maximize its ad revenue, Disney needs to do everything it can to ensure that the commercials have the desired impact, and unfortunately, that starts with doing everything possible to require viewers to sit through commercials.
Can You Download Content For Offline Viewing?
Unfortunately, downloading is disabled on the Disney+ Basic plan. Not only is this done, presumably, to differentiate between the differently priced tiers, but also — and likely more importantly — if content is downloaded and viewed offline, then the streamer will not be able to serve ads as efficiently and effectively, making them less valuable to advertisers and more of a nuisance to consumers.
Are There Ads on Kids Profiles?
Like many other streamers with ad-supported tiers, including HBO Max and Netflix, Disney+ Basic will not be serving ads on children’s profiles. The service has also promised it will not include ads in content specifically geared toward preschool-aged children.
Can You Still Watch Shows and Movies in Ultra HD?
Yes, like the ad-free plan, Disney+ Basic will offer 4K streaming on compatible devices. That’s a big difference when compared to Netflix, which offers content on its Basic with Ads plan at a maximum of 720p.
How Does Disney+ Basic Work While Traveling Internationally?
The U.S. is the only country in which Disney+ Basic will be introduced on Dec. 8. The new plan will expand internationally in 2023, but until it does, Disney+ Basic will not function in any other countries around the globe.
How Personalized Will My Ad Experience Be?
Disney+ has not released any details about how it will personalize ad experiences yet. However, part of Hulu customers’ frustrations with the ad experience on that platform is that they do not always see relevant ads. Hopefully, Disney executives have taken those appropriate lessons and will do a better job of tailoring ad experiences to specific customers on Disney+ Basic.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”