On Nov. 12 The Walt Disney Company plans to launch “Disney+” a streaming service dedicated to all things Disney.
In August of 2017, Disney CEO Robert Iger announced that the company would be pulling all of its content from Netflix and all other competitors. Shortly after the announcement, the company dropped hints regarding its new streaming service.
As Disney inches closer and closer to the Nov. 12 launch date, they have slowly released more and more information to keep their audience on edge.
Disney+ users can expect to have access to original shows and movies along with Disney’s ever-growing portfolio of other entertainment properties, including Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel.
Kilie Morgan, a sophomore education major, has a countdown for when Disney+ starts. “I plan on subscribing because it has so many Disney movie/TV options that I can’t get anywhere else,” she said.
From Aug. 23-25 Disney hosted its annual D23 (“D” as in Disney and “23” referencing 1923, the year in which the Walt Disney Company was founded) expo in Anaheim, California. While this conference is related to all things Disney, there was a special emphasis on the new streaming service.
The company officially stated that “in year one you’ll be able to rediscover more than 7,500 episodes and 500 films from our library.”
Sophomore Rachel Dyer is on the fence about the new streaming service. “Depending on the pricing of it, I would probably pay for it,” Dyer said. “I am most excited about getting to watch disney movies/TV whenever I want.”
At the expo, Disney+ creators informed reporters that the new streaming service would cost $6.99 a month – making it less expensive than Netflix’s cheapest streaming option ($9) but more expensive than Hulu’s cheapest streaming option ($5.99). The $6.99 monthly subscription gives access to seven different user-profiles and four simultaneous streams coupled with 4K, UHD and HDR picture quality.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, his business partners and shareholders predict that Disney+ will quickly become tough competition for other streaming services. A recent study from LendEDU found that “Only 8% of teenagers and college students don’t have access to a Netflix account.” Shareholders in both Disney and Netflix are closely tracking data leading up to the launch, as there is an anticipated drop in Netflix users.
More information about LendEDU’s study can be found at https://lendedu.com/blog/netflix-millennials-viewers-not-subscribers/
Annie Ensley, a sophomore education major, does not plan on subscribing to Disney+. “I probably wouldn’t pay for it, most things I watch aren’t Disney related anyway.” she said.
Hannah Nelson, a sophomore nursing major, is in agreement with Ensley about subscribing to Disney+. “I am content with the streaming services I already have and don’t watch Disney shows often,” she said.
People who are completely committed to Disney+ can preorder the streaming service before it is released on Nov. 12 at www.disneyplus.com/preorder.
Headline photo: Disney+ presented at D23 Expo. Photo from insidethemagic.net