The following is a guest post by Victoria Schmid.
By now you’ve probably heard of Disney+, Disney’s new and highly-anticipated streaming service that launched a few weeks ago. Disney+ joined the streaming wars with guns blazing, boasting a large catalog of new (and nostalgic) content for adults and children alike.
In the weeks leading up to the release, Disney released details on some of its upcoming content. Some of the most anticipated shows and movies includes Star Wars spinoff TV show The Mandalorian, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum. These Disney originals pose a serious threat to Netflix, as the streaming giant lost popular movies (for example, the Marvel movies) to Disney+.
As a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic, I signed up for Disney+ on launch day and started sifting through the new content, trying to decide where to start. Since November 12th, I’ve watched over 10 hours of Disney+ content. Here’s what I thought.
It has a great user experience
With Disney+, the graphics are sharp, and it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. The layout is clean and easy to read. You can easily turn off auto-play, unlike Netflix where a show starts in the background unless you navigate through 5 steps to turn this feature off. Plus, it’s not overcrowded with too many suggested shows. I currently subscribe to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Now, but I think Disney+ has by far the best user experience and menu of any streaming service.
It makes a big difference when looking for something to watch, and I know I won’t be overwhelmed with choices or have random videos playing like an annoying ad you can’t find on a webpage.
It’s super affordable
When adding together the costs of other streaming services like Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, and AT&T Now, the services cost around $50 per month. Netflix’s cheapest plan right now costs $8.99 per month, which allows you to use only one screen at a time. A standard plan with two screens will set you back $12.99 per month, which is almost double what Disney+ costs.
Disney+ is launching with an initial price of only $7 per month for up to four screens, and it has other bundle options or plans to make it cheaper. For example, if you purchase a full year upfront, it’s only $70 (or about $5.83 per month). This makes Disney+ one of the cheapest streaming services out there.
If you sign up for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and HBO Max, it would cost you about $44 per month, on top of your internet service. As a huge Disney fan, I could happily just sign up for Disney+ and have that as my only streaming service for the winter. With such an expansive catalog of shows and movies to watch, I could save upwards of $35 every month.
You get a lot of bang for your buck
We always hear streaming services bragging about how many thousands of titles they have. But how much of that is actually good content? Disney+ boasts a huge backlog of classic content alongside its new originals, with nearly 500 films and 7,500 episodes of television. For such a low price, you really do get the most bang for your buck when signing up for Disney+, because it’s actually content you want to watch.
Whether you want to sit down and reminisce on a classic Disney movie you loved as a kid or delve into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or you’re in the mood for a documentary, Disney+ has something for everyone. I subscribe to Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, AT&T TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+, but I love Disney+, and can say it has the most content I actually want to watch.
The original content is amazing
One of the things I was so excited for was access to new content, including the Star Wars TV series The Mandalorian and The World According to Jeff Goldblum. Both shows have so far impressed me with their high production value and fun storytelling.
While Pick of the Litter and Lady and the Tramp are on my to-watch list, I’m excited to see what else Disney+ has to offer or what other original content it may bring to the table in the next few years.
There’s always something to watch
Even if you’re in the mood for something you’ve seen before, Disney+ has something for you. I watched both Moana and Free Solo, two of my favorite movies of all time, on Disney+ this week. The movies looked so amazing on my TV—it felt like being at the movie theater again.
I’ve watched only 10 hours of Disney+, but I’m super impressed with the content, design, and user-friendliness. With a huge catalog of TV shows and movies, it’s easy to find something to watch no matter what mood you’re in or who you’re watching with. Bravo, Disney—you’ve created my favorite streaming service to date.