Subscribers are upset about another price increase for Disney+ in 2024, but the streamer gave a possible reasoning to keep viewers happy.
Disney is raising prices on all standalone Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ plans, as well as most bundles, starting October 17.
The monthly price for the ad-supported Disney+ package will increase by $2 to $9.99, while the Disney+ Premium package (without ads) will also increase by $2 to $15.99. Hulu’s ad-supported option will also increase by $2 to $9.99 per month, and the ad-free Hulu package will increase by $1 to $18.99 per month.
However, prices for the Disney+/Hulu/Max package and the Disney+/Hulu Premium ad-free package remain unchanged.
Disney+ justifies price increase for 2024
As part of the announcement of the streaming price increases, Disney announced that Disney+ subscribers will have access to three new subscriber features starting September 4:
ABC News Live Streaming Channel
Starting September 4, Disney+ will offer all subscribers access to the ABC News live streaming channel.
This 24/7 news channel offers live newscasts, breaking news, live events and in-depth special reports, catering to those who want continuous and comprehensive coverage.
This gives Disney+ subscribers the unique opportunity to watch continuous news, which the company says represents added value compared to other services.
Playlist with content for preschool children
Disney+ will also be introducing a dedicated playlist for preschool content starting next month. This should come as no surprise, as the House of Mouse streaming service is a popular children’s TV program in many households.
This playlist contains a selection of TV series and short films for young children, including popular shows such as Sofia the First, The Lion Guard, Puppy Dog FriendsAnd Minnie’s Bow-Toons.
Disney clearly wants parents to be able to choose a playlist to keep their children continuously entertained and hopes that families will find this a valuable addition.
Later this fall (not September 4), Disney+ Premium subscribers will get access to four new curated playlists (according to Disney). These include:
- Seasonal content: Featuring seasonal themed programming from the Disney+ library.
- Epic stories: Presents action-packed stories from Disney, Marvel and Star Wars.
- Reviews: A collection of nostalgic pop culture content.
- True life: A series of documentaries, biographies and true stories.
In general, Disney is developing new streaming versions of traditional cable TV channels that can be left on without having to pick up the controller.
Knowing that much of its streaming business comes from busy families, Disney hopes this will be viewed as a positive by many users.
Internal analytics will show whether or not users use these new playlists regularly, but adding these new curated features will help Disney justify the next price increase.
Disney+ currently offers three plans: Basic for $9.99/month with ads, Standard for $11.99/month or $119.99/year ad-free, and Premium for $15.99/month or $159.99/year ad-free.
For more Disney+ news, see below:
The release of “Inside Out 2” on Disney Plus breaks a Pixar streaming record
Inside Out 2 gets upcoming online streaming release date (report)
The Acolyte Season 2 Release Prospects Get Discouraging Update (Rumor)
