Is Disney+ worth it? An expert review from an original subscriber
Is Disney+ worth it? An expert review from an original subscriber
I’ve been subscribed to Disney+ since it was first launched in 2019. Do I still think a subscription is worth the money?
I remember the excitement with which I anticipated the launch of Disney+ in 2019. Yes, I was intrigued by the series premiere of “The Mandalorian,” but the real draw for me was that, at long last, I would be able to stream early seasons of “The Simpsons” on demand with a subscription.
I’ve been subscribed to Disney+ ever since, and I’ve seen the price increase from $7 per month to the current rate of an ad-free plan: $19 per month, a 171% increase in six years. And I freely admit, there are certainly times when I could have taken a break from Disney+ long enough to justify cancelling the service. The biggest reason that never happened is that I am now a Disney Bundle subscriber, and cancelling Disney+ means I have to cancel all three streamers.
Who better to determine a streamer’s worth than a subscriber who’s been with the service since the beginning? If you’re deciding whether or not a Disney+ subscription is worth it, I’ll break down the streamer from multiple angles to help you decide.
Is Disney+ worth it?
What’s on Disney+?
The Disney+ content library is stacked with TV shows and movies from the 103 years since the founding of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Stream everything from “Steamboat Willy,” the first cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse, to the biggest blockbuster releases from studios in the Disney family, such as “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” Favorite characters like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Donald Duck, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, and many more all call Disney+ home.
The service is also a repository for shows and movies from some of the best-known franchises in American media history: the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. Fans can stream live-action and animated titles from these IPs on Disney+ exclusively, aside from rare occasions when the streamer licenses them out to other platforms.
Bundle subscribers who also have Hulu subscriptions can watch the Hulu library on Disney+, including titles like “The Bear,” “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” and thousands of others. Customers can now link their Hulu account to Disney+, so their Hulu watch history and other personalized settings can be watched directly through the Disney+ app.
How much are Disney+’s plans?
| Plan | Ads? | Sports | Monthly price | Annual price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disney+ Basic | Yes | Yes | $12 | N/A |
| Disney+ Premium | No | Yes | $19 | $180 |
| Disney Bundle Duo Basic (Disney+ and Hulu with ads) |
Yes | Yes | $13 | N/A |
| Disney Bundle Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select with ads) |
Yes | Yes | $20 | N/A |
| Disney Bundle Trio Legacy (Disney+ with no ads, Hulu with ads, ESPN Select with ads) |
Yes | Yes | $25 | N/A |
| Disney Bundle Trio Premium (Disney+ and Hulu without ads, ESPN Select with ads) |
No (Disney+ and Hulu) | Yes | $30 | N/A |
| Disney+, HBO Max, and Hulu bundle (with ads) |
Yes | Yes | $20 | N/A |
| Disney+, HBO Max, and Hulu bundle (no ads) |
No | Yes | $33 | N/A |
How’s the ad experience on Disney+?
Disney+ is on the higher end of streaming ad loads; our user test in 2025 found it showed around seven to 10 minutes of ads per hour of content, more than some streaming services, though not as many as its corporate cohort, Hulu.
It’s worth noting that Disney+ does not include ads during content intended for younger kids, so parents don’t have to worry about children being bombarded with commercials.
Does Disney+ offer live sports?
Disney+ offers subscribers of its Basic and Premium plans access to a small selection of premium events from ESPN. Past events shown on Disney+ include marquee NFL, NBA, and NHL games, the NFL Draft, golf coverage, and more, though it’s still a far cry from the full inventory of live sports offered by ESPN.
Viewers who have ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited bundled with Disney+ can watch more ESPN content on the streamer. ESPN Unlimited customers can watch live streams of ESPN, ESPN2, and other linear channels included in the subscription, including all live sports and shoulder programming found thereon.
What do I like best about Disney+?
I have to start with the content library, which is deep and formidable. I was raised on Disney movies to a certain degree, so having the ability to not only rewatch movies that I had as a kid, but also stream movies I wanted but weren’t part of the monthly entertainment budget back in the day.
I also really like how much work Disney has put into making Disney+ a one-app hub for all of its streaming content. The biggest recent step taken was the ability to link Hulu profiles with Disney+, migrating users’ viewing histories and watch lists. Having Hulu titles available on Disney+ has been all well and good, but the two experiences still felt quite disconnected until the latest update.
And although some may dismiss it as little more than a marketing ploy, I very much appreciate the ability to bundle Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN Unlimited. I would be subscribed to all of these services anyway, so having the ability to save 30%+ is a big help to my budget.
What are the worst aspects of Disney+?
Without a doubt, the worst thing about Disney+ is the amount the streamer’s price has increased since launching — nearly 200%, as referenced above. The company’s family-first reputation slowly gave way to the needs of the marketplace and shareholders as Disney felt pressure to make its streaming service profitable.
Disney would defend itself by pointing to the value of the Disney Bundle, but there are plenty of customers who have valid reasons for not wanting the other streamers available in such bundle offerings. On a standalone basis, Disney+’s prices of $12 per month for ad-supported service or $19 per month for ad-free are some of the most expensive in streaming — more than equivalent plans from HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, or Prime Video.
So, is Disney+ worth it?
All in all, I’d say that Disney+ is worth a subscription. Disney has worked very hard to make Disney+ the centerpiece of its streaming empire, integrating Hulu content and sports from ESPN. But even on its own, the Disney+ library has great value. Whether or not you’re a current fan of the direction the Marvel or Star Wars franchises have taken, Disney+ is still the only place to watch new and past titles from either series.
While Disney+ licenses some titles to other streaming services on occasion, it keeps plenty of its best historical content exclusive to its own platform. That includes decades’ worth of beloved animated features, from “Snow White” and “Sleeping Beauty” to “The Lion King” and newer titles like “Hoppers.” All of the most famous Disney characters, past and present, stream on Disney+, and that’s not changing any time soon. If you have kids of your own, or just look back on the spectacular Disney canon with fondness, a Disney+ subscription is well worth your money.
The addition of live sports to Disney+ also enhances its value in my mind, particularly as the streamer gives the same level of access to all subscribers (unless they also bundle the streamer with ESPN). Viewers won’t see everything on ESPN with Disney+, but I appreciate the fact that ad-supported subscribers get to watch the same selection of events shared between Disney+ and ESPN that ad-free customers do.
To be sure, there is a sizeable portion of the audience who simply doesn’t care for Disney’s content, and that’s perfectly fine. But for everyone who does like the vast collection of TV shows and movies housed by Disney+, the streamer is definitely worth a subscription — particularly if you can find extra value by bundling it with other streamers you’ll use often, such as HBO Max, Hulu, and ESPN.
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.”