The latest quarterly earnings call for The Walt Disney Company revealed Disney+ will see changes from price tiers to password sharing.
Disney+ subscribers are going to see some changes happen over the next few months, according to the latest news from The Walt Disney Company. Those changes will affect everything from the price of different subscription tiers and bundle options.
Below, we’re sharing everything we know about these Disney+ changes so far.
Disney+ Prices Are Increasing
One of the biggest changes coming to Disney+ is a price increase. According to the August 2023 earnings call, The Walt Disney Company revealed that the price for subscribers will increase by $7 – or more – depending on the tier.
During the earnings call, The Walt Disney Company revealed that prices for Disney+ will increase on October 12, 2023. When the price increase happens, it will be significant, with plans seeing a 20 percent or higher jump.
The Disney+ Premium plan, which features no ads, will increase by 27 percent (going from $10.99 to $13.99 per month). A Disney+ subscription with ads will stay at $7.99 per month, and Disney+ and Hulu bundles with ads will remain at $9.99 per month.
Hulu, which is a partially Disney-owned streaming service, will also see price increases on October 12. The standalone Hulu subscription without ads will jump by 20 percent (going from $14.99 to $17.99 per month). Hulu + Live TV packages, which come in two different options, are also increasing by $7 per month (rising to $76.99 and $89.99 respectively).
And Disney’s third streaming service, ESPN+, will also see a price increase – but one that’s smaller than the jump for Disney+ and Hulu. ESPN+ will see its monthly subscription cost increase by just $1 (going from $9.99 to $10.99 per month).
This will be the second price increase for U.S.-based Disney+ Premium subscribers in under a year. Back in December 2022, the Premium tier saw an increase of $3 per month. When the new price increase takes effect in October, it’ll effectively double the monthly cost.
While these price increases are specific to U.S. Disney+ subscribers, international customers will also see changes. Most notably, Disney revealed that Disney+ ad-supported plans will expand and become available in Canada, the U.K., and eight European countries starting November 1, 2023. And come December 2023, subscription prices for ad-free Disney+ plans will also increase in these countries.
A New Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Will Become Available
Along with new pricing, subscribers will also have new options to choose from when signing up or renewing their plan. And a heavily discounted new Disney+ and Hulu combo – which is ad-free – is the standout.
Streaming bundles are where it appears Disney is hoping to move customers, based on the strategic changes coming to the company’s streaming platforms. On September 6, 2023, Disney+ will introduce the new ad-free Disney+ and Hulu bundle. It will be priced at $19.99 per month, giving subscribers a 37 percent discount for bundling the two as opposed to purchasing each individually.
Disney+ Password Sharing Will Change
If you’re someone who shares a Disney+ account and subscription with others, you’ll also see another change in the near future. Disney plans to crack down on illicit password sharing, just like Netflix did in early 2023.
During the earnings call, CEO Robert Iger revealed that Disney will explore different options for stopping or limiting password sharing. The company plans to roll out these changes “sometime in 2024.” No details about what, exactly, this might look like for subscribers in different households.
For more information on The Walt Disney Company and the latest Disney+ news, keep reading:
https://www.wdw-magazine.com/the-biggest-news-from-disneys-first-2023-earnings-call-layoffs-park-changes-and-new-movie-sequels-are-coming/
