How to Get Started on Disney+
Disney launched its long-awaited streaming service in the US and Canada on November 19, 2019 with an extensive catalogue of everything Disney and more. From the creation of the Mickey Mouse to the newest Avengers movie, Disney+ probably has it. But it’s not just old Disney content. There’s exclusive, brand new Disney content including Marvel spinoffs, National Geographic documentaries, and behind the scenes segments for your favorite Disney movies.
What People Think of Disney+
On the first day of the release of Disney+ there were 10 million subscriptions. A bit of perspective, HBO took 3 years to get 5 million subscribers. There were glitches from the beginning mostly with overloaded servers as more excited people tried to sign up for the service.
There are a few qualms about user experience like there is no obvious “watch history” menu, episodes are not in order, and no picture-in-picture option. Small glitches aside, Disney+ was well received especially by the generation “raised” on Disney. The Mandalorian, a Disney+ Star Wars spinoff, has already gained popularity with the adorable Baby Yoda.
Getting Started
Joining Disney+ is relatively easy on your phone or laptop and takes a few minutes to sign up for your 7-day free trial with just your e-mail and payment information for a monthly or annual subscription.
Disney+ Subscription Options
Disney+ offers a $6.99 monthly subscription rate or an annual rate at $69.99. With the annual rate, you save $14 the monthly price. There is also a $23 pre-order for the service for a three-year subscription, making the monthly cost at $392 a month. Disney+ also offers a bundle with ESPN+, and Hulu for $12.99. With your subscription, you can stream on up to 4 devices in 4K – something Netflix offers at its premium tier for $15.99 a month.
After you choose your Disney inspired avatar, you can start browsing through the vast catalogue of content. Gone are the old, old days of renting videos or DVDs for a movie marathon or finding friends who would graciously lend you their copy. You can just use the service, type in what you want to watch, and it or related titles will come up.
A few tips for getting around Disney+
- If you have the space for it, you should switch your download quality to Medium or High from Standard. The app also shows you how much of each quality you can fit on your device to help your downloading strategy.
- Request a title if you can’t find it on the catalogue. It is a substantial one, but there are still more that are waiting to join and to bump your title to the top, you can contact Disney and send in any missing title you’d want to see.
- Disney+ is available on most devices – smartphones, laptops, TVs, gaming consoles – made within the past three years.
The Disney Kingdom continues to conquer the media content world and has entered Internet streaming with a bang. It will be exciting to see what happens when the service is available worldwide.