Disney Plus: The Streaming Service Your Childhood Self Needs

Natalie Dest, Arts and Entertainment Editor

We’re all guilty of it; frantically searching through Netflix hoping to find our favorite childhood film yet finding ourselves out of luck. Luckily, those days are now in the past, thanks to Disney’s plan to release its own streaming service, “Disney Plus.”

In September of 2017, Disney announced its plan to create its own video service for viewers, a platform that is going to challenge more popular streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and similar high-end streamers. Just a short year later, that service was given the name Disney Plus, now finally giving fans the information they have been waiting for.

With an aimed release date of November 12, 2019, “[Disney Plus] won’t have as many movies or television shows as Netflix and its ilk, but Disney hopes to draw customers in with lots of high-profile exclusive content and nearly every move in Disney’s expansive library, including a number of previously hard-to-find animated features,” according to Digital Trends.

One of the most notable highlights of the service is its cost; starting at $7 per month at launch, or $70 per year. For this price, streamers will be paying for a culmination of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic, Star Wars and Fox content.

It’s predicted to include 7,000 episodes of television series with 400 to 500 movies expected to be available when launched. Right after its launch date, Disney Plus will feature old and new Disney titles such as “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Snow White.” Not only these titles, but Disney live-action releases will be available, like “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Dumbo.”

On the day of the release, the service will also include four Marvel movies; “Captain Marvel,” “Iron Man,” “Iron Man 3” and “Thor: The Dark World.” Disney also shared more details regarding the service’s first year, which is “set to include 25 original series (starting with titles like its new Star Wars series “The Mandalorian”) and all 30 seasons of “The Simpsons,” according to Digital Trends.

However, according to a study by research firm Ampere Analysis, Disney Plus’ television shows equate to 16 percent of what Netflix offers. Netflix’s movie library is eight times bigger than Disney Plus’ launch lineup. In terms of numbers, Plus falls short of Hulu, Amazon Prime, CBS All Access and HBO go.

Although, what Disney Plus lacks in volume, is made up in quality. Disney Plus will be the exclusive home to some of the most popular movies, shows and franchises to exist in the entertainment world. With projects tied to Disney’s Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and Disney-specific properties, the overall family-friendly theme content makes it stand out.

Almost every single film in the Disney catalog will eventually be added to the streaming service, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger. But not only will it include a greatest-hits collection, it will also include original content on the service, too.

Some originals include “Togo,” “Noelle,” live-action “Lady and the Tramp” and “Sword in the Stone” reboots, and a “Phineas and Ferb” movie. In addition to an original Marvel show, based on Hawkeye, Falcon, Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch and Vision. A series following The Avengers villain Loki is also in the works, with the original MCU actors reprising their roles for the shows, according to Digital Trends.

The company also showed off a prototype of its new service, which looks somewhat similar to the view of Netflix, but in a Disney-fied way. The clean and smooth interface offers subscribers a row of titles at the top of its home screen differentiating the multiple levels of the service, such as Marvel, Pixar, Disney and National Geographic.

Disney Plus will support streaming to phones, tablets, computers, connected televisions and streaming media boxes, per the company. The presentation of the service did include photos of Apple TV, Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV, but the company hasn’t specifically confirmed those devices yet, according to CNET.

Whether you have kids of your own or want to live out your inner child, Disney Plus is the perfect streaming device to meet all Disney, Marvel and Pixar needs. For more information on the streaming service, you can visit cnet.com for more confirmed news.