Everything You Need To Know About Disney+: The Consolidation of the Disney Empire

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Sydney Hancock

DISNEY+ IS HERE: Disney+ officially debuted on Nov. 12, bringing in over 10 million subscribers on the first day. There are many new shows available on Disney+ including The Mandalorian, High School Musical the series, and a new live action Lady and the Tramp.

Megan Spataro, Staff Writer

After months of sneak peeks, the long wait for Disney’s first ever streaming service, Disney+, is officially over! With over 30 original series, 7,500 episodes and more than 500 movie titles what more could you ask for?

Disney+ launched on Nov. 12 in the U.S., and according to The Verge, they registered over 10 million people on the first day. Before launch day, Variety confirmed that Disney had spent over $6 million on national TV ads, which explains the huge turnout of subscribers for the launch. Along with TV ads, Disney broadcasted campaigns on social media platforms and junior Lili Campher says, “I saw about three ads a day for Disney+ on Instagram, which is what first got me interested.”

The expansive service has consolidated all Disney entertainment onto one platform, and CNET reported that Disney+ will include all Disney content ever created along with “Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic. It’ll also integrate programming from Fox — all 30 seasons of The Simpsons will be on Disney Plus starting on day one, and more titles, like The Sound of MusicThe Princess Bride and Malcolm in the Middle, will join it in the first year.” Disney+ has something for everyone whether you are excited for the new shows or being able to watch all your favorite childhood shows. There is no time to wait.

One of the big perks to Disney+ is the low price and easy accessibility. According to CNET, Disney+ is “$7 a month in the US, or $70 (about $5.83 a month) if you prepay for a full year… It’s also a discount compared with Netflix‘s cheapest tier at $9 a month. But because Disney Plus will allow all members to get many of the perks that Netflix charges extra for (like four simultaneous streams and 4K Ultra HD in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio), Disney’s $7-a-month subscription actually compares best with Netflix’s $16-a-month tier.” Disney+ is less than half the price of a premium Netflix subscription, making it a good deal in comparison to its biggest competitor. Senior Morgan Batistitch agrees that “Disney+ is well worth the price considering all the movies and shows that are available on it.” A Disney+ subscription also allows you to watch four different shows on four different devices simultaneously, so there is no need to fight with siblings over who gets to pick what to watch. Digital Trends reports that just like Netflix, “Disney+ is available on iOS, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Android, Android TV,” making it possible to view Disney+ at home or on the app wherever you may go. The platform also has a similar set up to Netflix, making it a natural transition to navigate.

As Disney has joined the streaming industry, it seems as though online streaming rather than physical discs have been locked in as the future of entertainment. Freshman Jake Clayton says, “I think DVDs will eventually be phased out as technology continues to advance and soon DVDs will be old school.” Batistitch points out that “streaming services are nice, but the one annoying thing is that you have to download what you want to watch or be connected to Wi-Fi to watch it. Often times I don’t have enough storage to download everything I want to watch and so this could be a limiting factor. DVDs might become old school, but they will always be reliable, especially for long road trips.” Both streaming services and DVDs have their pros and cons so we will see what happens in the long run.

With Disney removing all its titles from Netflix, there is the possibility of Netflix losing customers as they shift to Disney+. Customers will need to decide what is most important to them when considering a streaming service; is variety, price, or one specific show your priority? For many people, it might seem easiest to rack up the bill and add Disney+ to their list of streaming services in order to satisfy all demands in the family. For those on a tight budget, Digital Trends says that although Disney+ will not have quite as many options as Netflix, “Disney hopes to draw customers in with lots of high profile exclusive content and nearly every movie in Disney’s expansive library.” With every movie Disney has ever created and more original content coming, it might be worth it just to get a Disney+ subscription, depending on what you are looking for. Clayton a Star Wars fan says, “I’m most excited for the new show ‘The Mandalorian.’” The new release is one of the biggest many gems included in Disney+, and Disney has gone all in spending nearly $15 million per episode according to CNET.

Disney+ is a family friendly platform, centered around happy, feel good shows, so what does this mean for teens and adults that want a little bit more action? Many teens are actually very excited to be able to watch all their favorite childhood shows again after so many years without them. Sophomore Brogan Brown says, “I am most excited to be able to watch all the old shows I watched while growing up, like Hannah Montana shows again!” But for those seeking some more thrilling options, the combo pack, which includes subscriptions to Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu for $13 a month, is the answer to all of their streaming service dilemma. The price is still cheap, and it provides access to a wider variety and more mature age specific shows if that is what you are seeking. Campher says, “I’m excited to be able to relive my childhood and watch the old shows, but one hundred percent, I will get the combo pack to get variety.”

What are you waiting for? Go get signed up for Disney+ and settle down for a long weekend of binging your favorite old shows or trying out some new releases!