Last week Tuesday was a big day for the Walt Disney Company. After teasing us for almost a year, they finally launched Disney+ throughout the United States!
Because of my work schedule I was able to log on as soon as it went live. I must have been one of the lucky ones, because I did not experience any problems when I first logged on. With all this excitement, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to explore everything Disney+ had to offer. Here are some of my first thoughts:
Basic Overview of Disney+
It’s not surprising that Disney has finally gotten into the streaming game. Over the past few years Disney has acquired companies like Marvel Studios, Lucas Films, and Twentieth Century Fox. Disney also partnered with National Geographic, ESPN, and Hulu to bring us a streaming service unlike any other.
What’s on Disney+
Disney is really emptying out the vault for Disney+. I don’t know about you, but I grew up watching classic Disney films as well as all the Disney Channel originals shows and movies. I remember staying up late to watch the premiere of newest DCOM before you could record them and skip through the commercials. Now with Disney+ they are all just a click away.
When you open up your Disney+ App, you’ll be met with all your favorite shows and movies. Currently, you are able to stream all of the Star Wars Films, most of the films Marvel Studios has brought us, as well as many classics from Disney and Pixar. With the addition of Twentieth Century Fox, you’ll also be able to watch to watch many of their movies and shows, such as The Simpsons and The Avatar, as well. But it doesn’t stop there.
In addition to the thousands of episodes and hundreds of movies already available to stream on Disney+, they are creating originals exclusively for subscribers. Some of the original series and movies are already live on the app, but if you followed along with this years D23 Expo you know there is much more to come.
All of the new series on Disney+ are being released on a weekly basis. I’m guessing this is to prevent binge-watching and then canceling your subscription. Which makes a lot of sense, but you’d be crazy to cancel a subscription that gives you unlimited access to all Disney+ has to offer.
How it Compares to Competitors
Even before they went live, Disney+ was being compared to other streaming services like Netflix. From the beginning, people were very skeptical if Disney would be able to pull this off. I’ve been a Netflix subscriber since the beginning, and I don’t think that will change any time soon but I think we should outline some of the differences between the two services.
First of all, Disney+ is going to be noticeable cheaper than Netflix. With the basic package which includes Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucas Films, Twentieth Century Fox, and National Geographic you’ll be paying $6.99 per month. If you want to upgrade to the bundle package to include ESPN+ and Hulu to the basic pack it’ll be $12.99 per month. This is compared to Netflix which is $15.99 per month, HBO Go for $14.99 per month, and Amazon Prime Video for $8.99 per month.
Another comparison worth mentioning is the fact that you will be able to share your account easier. Being a family-friendly company it is not surprising that all accounts are considered family accounts. This basically means that per account, you’ll be able to have up to seven different profiles and you’ll be able to download from up to ten different devices.
My Favorite Part of Disney+
There are so many reasons why this streaming service is everything. I mean it’s only been a week and I’m already in LOVE!! What’s not to love about it. You are going to be able to watch not only classic Disney movies that are fresh out of the vault, but you will also have access to come of the best Disney Channel Original Movies and shows from our childhood.
I’m also a big fan of documentaries and there are plenty to be watched on Disney+. Being such a big fan of Disney it’s cool to be able to go behind the scenes with series to explore the making of the Disney Parks, Marvel Movies, and so much more.
What Needs Work
I know there have been some negative news articles surrounding the release of Disney+. Some people are saying that they’ve had trouble logging into their accounts and other reporting they have been hacked. Disney+ is still very new and it’ll take some time for them to work out all of the kinks that come with developing something new to their company.
Personally, I only have a few complaints when it comes to the launch. First, depending on what movie or show you are watching, your progress is not saved. From what I’ve gathered so far, Disney+ original movies and shows will save your progress but it won’t tell you your progress like other services would. You just have to press play and hope for the best. For older movies and shows you either have to remember where you left off or binge the series at once. Which might not be a bad thing depending on your schedule.
My only other complaint is that not all of the movies shown on Disney+ are available to watch, at least not yet. If you go to the search page on the App you will see that there are so many more shows and movies than on the home page. While there are still plenty of things to watch, there is so much more to come. Some of the newer movies Disney put out in the past few years, like some of the live-action movies, will not be available for another few months. You’ll be able to see when they become available by clicking on the movie or show.
Final Thoughts
In all honesty, I don’t think it’s far to compare streaming services to one another. Between me and my family we have subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Video, and now Disney+. If you are still debated whether or not to subscribe, I would say it is totally worth it to take the plunge. You have so many movies and shows to choose from. Whether you want to watch a classic, something new, a superhero movie, or documentaries about nature.
Disney+ has something for people of all ages, regardless if you are a huge Disney Nerd or just a casual fan. I’m positive everyone will find something to watch for hours. It’s an added bonus when you bundle your package and get ESPN+ and Hulu along with it because that just opens up the door to more possibilities.