Disney Plus Announces Price Hike Alongside Minor Extras

Disney has announced yet another price hike for its Disney Plus streaming service, along with a couple of fairly minor additions by way of a justification.

Starting October 17, monthly and annual plans for Disney Plus will see an increase. Disney Plus with ads will rise from $7.99 to $9.99 a month, while the ad-free tier will go from $13.99 to $15.99.

As indicated, this new pricing regime will only apply to US customers for now. However, it’s commonplace for UK and European regions to follow suit shortly after similar US changes.

In December of 2022, Disney introduced its new ad-supported tier in the US, and later brought it to Europe in November of 2023.

It’s not just Disney’s streaming service that’s affected by the price hike. Hulu and ESPN subscription plans are also seeing an increase in the US.

On a brighter note for American subscribers, Disney is adding some new features to sweeten the deal. From September 7, Disney Plus subscribers in the US will get access to ABC News Live and a special playlist focused on preschool content, available for all tiers. Later in the autumn, four more curated playlists will be introduced.

“Playlists are the latest example of how we’re providing the best value and experience for our subscribers every time they open Disney+”, said Disney Plus President Alisa Bowen. That’s certainly one way to look at it.

The upcoming playlists will feature a variety of content categories: Seasonal Content, Epic Stories—which includes franchise-branded content from Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars—Throwbacks featuring nostalgic pop culture content, and Real Life, focusing on documentaries, biopics, and true stories.

While the additions are minor, they nonetheless symbolize Disney’s attempt to balance the increased costs with new content offerings. However, the primary focus remains on the price increases.

American subscribers should mark their calendars for these new changes starting in October, while those in other regions might want to prepare for similar adjustments in the future.

The pattern of incremental price hikes accompanied by additional features has become a common strategy, as the streaming giant aims to expand its offerings and remain competitive in a crowded market.

For now, the new pricing and features stand as Disney’s latest move in an ever-evolving streaming landscape, with more developments likely on the horizon.

Source: various source names