Is “Disney Plus” Worth It?

Image courtesy of TechRadar

By ISABELLA KANCZUK ‘23

After the large number of Disney movies released over the past decade, ranging from the Avengers and Star Wars sequels to re-makes such as The Lion King and Aladdin, it was not a surprise to fans when Disney’s very own subscription streaming service, Disney Plus,  launched on November 12th, 2019. Only days after Disney Plus was initially released, it quickly amassed more than 10 million subscribers. It's marquee original series, The Mandalorian, has already given fans Baby Yoda theories, merchandise, and memes. 

Nonetheless, the big question Disney fans face is: is Disney Plus really worth the money? 

Personally, I have been a Disney fan all my life. I grew up watching Disney Channel constantly, and I am still obsessed with an abounding amount of Disney movies and TV-shows. Therefore, last December, I did not hesitate to try the 7-day free trial Disney Plus offered. My first observation after downloading the app was the extensive amount of movies and series I found on it. I discovered enthralling documentaries, an array of films ‘from the vault,’ and all the Disney Channel shows I used to watch when I was younger. 

However, after watching my first movie for a solid thirty minutes, I noticed that my computer screen started to glitch and log-out of the website. After switching my WI-FI connection multiple times and even moving to a different room in my house, I decided to search for how to fix my issue online. Surprisingly, I found that the source of the glitch was Disney itself. According to Spangler, from The Chicago Tribune, “in its Nov. 12 debut, the service was beset by multiple problems, including Disney Plus customers being unable to log in to the service, access specific content, or use certain streaming devices.” Fortunately, I was eventually able to continue watching my movie, but I did not appreciate Disney’s release of an unprepared and unequipped service to the public. 

I still have not decided if I should pay for an official “Disney Plus” account or just give up on the idea. While the website has many technical problems and malfunctions, the Disney movies and shows offered on it are enjoyable. As stated by Pendlebury and Sorrentino in December, 2019, “with only a few notable exceptions, Netflix is losing a host of Disney content to the new service, meaning if you or the little ones want to watch Moana, for example, you'll need a Disney Plus subscription.”