Prior to the launch of Disney+ in 2019, the company offered a whopper of a deal. If users were willing to sign up for three years of the service, they could get it for $141 ($3.92/month). Bear in mind, this was before we knew much of what Disney+ was planning. It was a leap of faith that Disney promised to reward.
Now, that original deal is set to expire on November 12. Disney+ emailed those original users to alert them that their subscriptions will auto-renew at $79.99/year ($6.67/month). Will those faithful fans carry on or let the subscription lapse?
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We don’t know exactly how many people signed up for that initial deal, but at the end of 2019, Disney+ had 26.5 million subscribers, a fraction of the 152.1 million they have worldwide today.
Ways to Save on Disney+
The monthly price of ad-free Disney+ is set to rise a whopping 38% on December 8.
As that deadline approaches, you have several options:
- Sign up for the $79.99 ad-free annual plan prior to that date - $6.67/month
- Sign up for the $109.99 ad-free annual plan after December 8 - $9.17/month
- Pay monthly for ad-free access after December 8 - $10.99/month
- Pay monthly to get Disney+ with ads - $7.99/month
We have every reason to believe that $79.99 annual ad-free rate will never be offered again, so this is likely the cheapest you’ll ever be able to get the service – but it will only be for one more year.
A smart option is to get the Disney Bundle, which gives you Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu on demand for one discounted price. If you sign up for the bundle before December 8, you will get a “legacy” rate as long as you don’t unsubscribe.
| Disney Bundle | Current Price | December 8 Price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (With Ads): Disney+, Hulu | N/A | $9.99/month |
| Basic (With Ads): Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ | N/A | $12.99/month |
| Existing Subscribers: Disney+ (No Ads), Hulu (With Ads), ESPN+ (With Ads) | $13.99/month | $14.99/month |
| Premium: Disney+ (No Ads), Hulu (No Ads), ESPN+ (With Ads) | $19.99/month | $19.99/month |
Unfortunately, there is no annual plan for the Disney Bundle. Whatever you decide, it is to your advantage to lock in a price before the December 8 deadline.
The Case for Keeping Disney+
If you have children, Disney+ is a slam-dunk. Kids love to watch and rewatch their favorite movies while adults get some peace and quiet. Whether it’s animated classics, Pixar blockbusters, or Muppet movies, Disney+ will keep your children entertained.
For the youngest kids, shows like “Doc McStuffins” or “Spidey and his Amazing Friends” offer some safe diversions.
For older kids (and kids at heart), the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars offer timeless thrills. Those tentpoles also provide the ongoing live-action series that provide so much of the value of Disney+.
Why Disney+ Might Be Worth Losing
While Netflix is introducing an ad-supported tier for $6.99, that price does not impact the prices ad-free subscribers already pay. In contrast, this Disney+ change forces everyone to choose between paying more than they previously had or sitting through commercials - neither is ideal.
Getting back to Star Wars and Marvel, Disney+ seems unable to innovate beyond those two worlds. In the three years since the launch of the service, we’ve only seen five live-action seasons of Star Wars and seven live-action seasons of Marvel. You might ask yourself if the subscription is worth it for four noteworthy shows a year.
In contrast to Netflix’s hit-or-miss firehose of content, Disney is in the tricky position of milking its coveted intellectual property without killing it. Marvel fans are beginning to show signs of fatigue, and despite the positive reception of “The Mandalorian,” the larger Star Wars franchise seems uncertain, with multiple big-screen projects thrown aside.
Although Disney CEO Bob Chapek is pushing Disney+ in a more adult direction with additions of “Dancing with the Stars,” “Deadpool,” and “Logan,” grown-ups may find very little of interest until Disney+ absorbs Hulu in 2024.
Although we don’t know what future price hikes may occur, it’s a safe bet Disney+ won’t get any cheaper moving forward. So as disappointing as this increase is, it’s likely to be the cheapest we’ll ever see this service again.
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.”