Disney brings archives of content to new streaming platform

After several years of preparation, Disney has officially launched its own streaming service that directly competes with entertainment industry titans such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. The ad-free service is available to stream on smart T.V.s, phones, laptops, tablets and gaming consoles, November 12, 2019.

Disney+ gained a whopping 10 million subscribers in the first two days, and an estimated 60 to 90 million by 2024.

A subscription costs only $6.99 a month, or a prepaid year for $69.99 (about $5.83 a month). If you use Verizon, they are providing their unlimited 4G or 5G users a free year of Disney+. This price undercuts every other major competitor, except Hulu (with ads) and the upcoming Apple TV+. Disney offers a bundle, including Disney+, Hulu (with ads) and ESPN+ for $12.99 a month.

Most content featured comes from Disney’s main entertainment studios, such as Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios and National Geographic. Select movies and shows from 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Touchstone Pictures are also available.

Disney+ does not only feature an archival vault of entertainment, but will be creating original content as well. Eight new Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series will be released in the coming years, such as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki, What If, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight and She-Hulk.

The launch was much larger than Disney anticipated, and some users encountered issues. Error messages and “unable to connect” screens plagued subscribers for a brief time.

Sophomore Ainsley Thompson has been a large supporter of Disney a majority of her life, visiting Disney Parks frequently and watching their content from her childhood to now.

“My favorite part about Disney+ is now you don’t have to be upset about not getting to watch one of your favorite movies,” Thompson said. “You have so many choices, I don’t have enough time to watch them all! I will most likely abandon Netflix once they remove Friends.”

Not all Disney content is available, due to licensing agreements and previous contracts. There is even a feature to request content you want to see under the feedback section.

They have choosen a different method of rolling out T.V. shows than most streaming platforms do. Instead of releasing an entire season at once, Disney+ releases a new episode of their series’ once a week. The following tweet features some shows Disney+ released, Nov. 15.

NEW👏CONTENT👏DAY👏 On tonight’s watchlist? New episodes that just dropped from these #DisneyPlus Originals, now streaming!

Encore!
The Imagineering Story
Disney Family Sundays@Marvel's #HeroProject#TheMandalorian#HSMTMTS#ForkyAsksAQuestion#TheWorldAccordingtoJeffGoldblum

— Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) November 15, 2019

The service daily focuses on family-oriented entertainment and will not host R-rated or TV-MA content. More adult-focused Marvel T.V. shows such as Daredevil and Punisher will continue to air on their partner, Hulu.

In comparison to its competitors, the interface appears much smoother and cleaner. Users can scroll through specific groupings and categories, as well as personal recommendations based on previously watched content. Michael Paull, Disney’s streaming services president, explains this approach in an article on The Verge.

“As a principle, we wanted a simple, elegant experience,” Paull said. “We want to make this easy. We don’t want the product to get in the way of the content.”

Campus English teacher Andrea Donaghe considers herself a Disney fanatic, and even compares herself to Edna Mode from The Incredibles. She is excited for the release of the service, but has yet to subscribe.

“I’m willing to get Disney+,” Donaghe said. “On the flip side, I am a bit annoyed that I have to pay extra now, but, it’s Disney. So chances are, I’m going to do it.”

In the following podcast, Logan Lewis, ’20, interviews Andrea Donaghe about Disney+.

Whether you’re streaming childhood favorites from the 90s or catching up on the latest Marvel film, Disney+ has a wide variety of options for viewing. So the question is, will you pay for yet another streaming service?

Logan Lewis can be contacted via Instagram, Twitter, and email.

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