Disney to launch new streaming service

Disney will launch its own streaming network, Disney+, next month.

Aidan Murtagh '20, Sports Features Editor
October 29, 2019

The days when you can watch Disney movies and TV shows on Netflix are numbered. Starting Nov. 12, Disney will have its own streaming network called Disney+ (Disney Plus), and it will end its licensing deal with Netflix.

The new Disney+ network will include movies and TV shows from Disney’s wide catalog as well as new, original content. A monthly subscription is only $6.99, which is much cheaper than Netflix’s $12.99 monthly subscription fee.

Disney+ is also offering a bundle that offers ESPN+ and Hulu that will cost $12.99. Viewers will now be able to access three different streaming services for the same price that they would pay to access Netflix alone.

Disney+ will also allow users to download all videos for offline viewing, while Netflix and Amazon only allow viewers todownload some content. Another key difference between Disney+ and other services is that it will release episodes weekly as opposed to whole seasons being released all at once.

For viewers, this means that they will not be able to binge- watch their favorite shows all in one sitting unless they wait for the whole season to be released.

With Disney’s recent expansions, the service’s content is far from limited. In addition to Disney’s own movies like “Frozen” and “Moana,” viewers will have access to Marvel movies and TV shows, every Star Wars film and TV show, National Geographic documentaries, every season of “The Simpsons” (thanks to Disney and Fox’s recent merger), and so much more. Despite this abundance of content, Disney+ will not have any Rated R movies in order to maintain its family- friendly allure.

 

While Disney+ is using all of these TV shows and movies for its streaming site, Netflix will no longer have access to them. Although the company will still have its original TV series and movies, its variety of choices will decrease dramatically, which may lead to viewers revoking their subscriptions.

Economics instructor David Elu explained, “It hurts Netflix not so much as a Netflix versus Disney [competition] but more of a Netflix versus Amazon Prime because Amazon Prime didn’t have [Disney movies and shows] while Netflix did, so families would gravitate towards Netflix, but now that Disney has its own [streaming service], and Netflix no longer has it, Netflix and Amazon are more on par a little bit.”

Netflix might have to prepare for a complete change in its functions as a streaming service. Not only does it have another threat in Disney+, but it will now be able to offer significantly less than what it used to.

Coach David Lin ’98 explains the effect of Disney’s breakoff from Netflix, saying “Definitely it is a hassle. Currently, I probably watch Netflix more than I do TV, and I think it would be annoying to have to create a new account and figure out whether I only have to pay for Disney. It just complicates things.”

Netflix will soon suffer a major setback and a big hit to their supply after the launch of Disney+. Only time can tell whether their viewers will remain loyal to their platform or cancel their subscriptions for alternative entertainment sites, like Amazon Prime or Disney+.