Start streaming November 12, 2019
Pros
- Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic all in one place
- Offline download availability for all shows and movies
- 4K Ultra HD video quality
Cons
- No rated-R movies (but that can be a pro if you fancy family-friendly material)
- Spotty original shows
- No info on multiple streams yet
Data effective 5/1/19. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
The bottom line
Disney+ could take the world of streaming to the next level. Its extensive offerings, low price, and flawless interface are signs it’ll come out swinging.
But we’re not sure where Disney+ is going with some of these original shows—like High School Musical: The Musical: The Series?
Blegh.
Disney+ plans
| Package | Price | Episodes | Movies | |
| Disney+View countdown | $6.99/mo. or $69.99/yr. | 7,500+ | 500+ |
| Package | Disney+View countdown |
| Price | $6.99/mo. or $69.99/yr. |
| Episodes | 7,500+ |
| Movies | 500+ |
Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Most streaming providers have lots of packages separated by nitpicky differences. But don’t worry—Disney+ will launch with a single package.
There aren’t a lot of choices for you to agonize over, other than if you want to pay for the year upfront or break it down by month.
Either way you pay, you’ll get all the shows and movies at the same video quality, with the same stream count. It’s a lovely chance for minimalism in an increasingly complex streaming landscape.
Disney+ shows
Within the first year, Disney+ will offer over 7,500 TV episodes and 500 movies. These include all your old favorites from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. There’s something for everyone.
Well, unless you watch only rated-R movies. Disney will keep its adult shows over on Hulu. Sorry, Deadpool. Maybe Disney+ will deign to air your PG-13 flop, Once Upon a Deadpool.
You also get access to tons of old Disney Channel movies and shows. And keep an eye out for brand-new Disney+ originals.
Original shows and movies
All of Disney+’s announced original shows and films are slated to air within two years of Disney+’s launch.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell where on the Disney-quality scale these originals will fall. Will they be Toy Story 3 level or—well—basically any other Disney sequel’s level of craftsmanship?
At this point it’s too early to tell, but it’ll probably be a bit of both.
New Star Wars shows
- The Mandalorian
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (new season)
- Untitled Cassian Andor series
New Marvel shows
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Loki
- Marvel’s 616
- Marvel’s Hero Project
- Marvel’s What If . . . ?
- WandaVision
New original movies
- Lady & the Tramp (live-action)
- Noelle
- The Phineas and Ferb Movie
- Stargirl
- Timmy Failure
- Togo
Disney+ specs and features
It’s too early to be sure, but from what we already know about Disney+’s downloads, interface, and video quality, Disney+ might have what it takes to deliver the perfect on-demand streaming experience.
Multiple streams
The number of streams you get with a provider makes a huge difference in your streaming experience, especially if you have multiple kids who want to watch Disney+ at the same time.
Unfortunately, Disney+ hasn’t yet said how many streams you’ll get with your subscription. But we’re going to guess it’ll give you plenty since Disney+ already announced it will let you download anything you want.
That’s a sign of a generous mouse.
Offline downloads
Whether you’re traveling or your kid wants to watch 101 Dalmatians—101 times—Disney+’s downloading policy will be a lifesaver.
All of Disney+’s content will be downloadable, and we’re excited to see how much you’ll be allowed to download at once. Let’s hope it’s a lot. Disney+ premiers just before Thanksgiving, and it would be great to have a bunch of movies and shows to watch during your holiday travels.
Compatible streaming devices
While so far Disney+ has confirmed to be available on only Roku and PlayStation 4, we’re expecting it to release on most streaming devices.
After all, what streaming device maker in its right mind would want to miss out on this?
Confirmed devices
- Roku
- PlayStation 4
Video quality
Like Netflix’s Premium plan, you’ll be able to watch certain content in 4K Ultra HD. But unlike Netflix’s Premium plan, you won’t be paying $15.99 per month for the privilege—it comes included with Disney+’s $6.99 per month price.
User interface
In preview videos, Disney+ has shown off a bit of its upcoming interface, and we’re pretty impressed.
On the homepage, Disney+ starts you off with the five different brands you may want to choose from:
- Disney
- Pixar
- Marvel
- Star Wars
- National Geographic
Below that, you’ll find lists of handy recommendations, shows you’re in the middle of watching, trending shows, and the big genres like action/adventure.
A sneak peek of the Disney+ homepage
The menu bar tucks neatly on the left side and expands to provide names for the icons:
-
- Search
- Home
- Watchlist
- Movies
- Series
- Originals
- Settings
Those are some impressively clear differences between each page. It should be a cinch to find what you’re in the mood for, especially since each page is further broken down by genre.
We’re also guessing the menu bar will be where you can switch between profiles for each member of your family.
The different profiles will be helpful to make sure no one’s The Sound of Music viewing gets buried beneath someone else’s marathon of old Disney Channel series.
Thank goodness.
All told, it looks like navigating Disney+ will be so easy that you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re in the mood for just poking around a bit.
Disney+ FAQ
When will Disney+ be available?
Disney+ will be available on November 12, 2019. You can sign up for Disney+’s newsletter on the official countdown webpage.
Will Netflix get Disney movies?
Netflix may host a few holdovers after Disney+ debuts, but it won’t get any new Disney movies. Captain Marvel will be available exclusively on Disney+.
