Everything You Need to Know About Disney+: Bundles, Pricing, Release Date, and More

When Disney+ was first announced, you might have assumed it would just be a new place to host all of Disney’s animated classics and kid shows. Months later, it’s clear that Disney’s upcoming streaming service is a new place for all of Disney’s vast properties. The Force is strong with this service, and it’s assembled everything from “The Avengers” to National Geographic to Fox franchises like “The Simpsons.” We now have all the details you need to decide whether there’s a place in your streaming suite for Disney+. 

Key details Disney has announced about the service:

• Launches Nov. 12 in the U.S., Canada, and the Netherlands. Available in Australia and New Zealand a week later. 
• Will cost $7 per month (or $70 annually)
• Includes 4K/HDR content, offline viewing, and is ad-free

You’ll also have the opportunity to get Disney+ in a near-perfect bundle with Hulu and ESPN+. The bundle will cost $13 per month, is available in November, and will feature the lower-tier ad-supported Hulu (although we expect the package will have an option to upgrade). With Hulu, you can catch the latest network TV shows and some award-winning original series, while ESPN+ offers access to live sports programming. And if you count yourself among the Disney-owned fandoms, the collection is a cord-cutter’s dream: You essentially get three streaming services for the price of one. By comparison, HBO Now costs $15 per month and Netflix’s Standard HD plan costs $13. 

Disney+ Compatibility: Works with Most Devices

Disney wants as many eyes on its content as possible, so the service will be available on a wide array of platforms, including Apple devices, Android devices, Roku streaming players, and some gaming consoles. 

However, if you stream with Amazon Fire TV, your future with Disney+ is unclear. As of now, Amazon Fire TV was omitted from the list of compatible devices. When the service launches in November, you’ll either have to use another streaming device or wait to see if Fire TV is eventually an option. Disney and Amazon have struggled to play well together in the past when Amazon blocked pre-orders of Disney films. Considering over 34 million peopleuse Amazon Fire TV, we’re hopeful Disney will eventually announce compatibility.

Disney+ Compatible Devices at Launch

• Apple TV (tvOS)
• Android mobile devices
• Android TV
• Chromecast
• Desktop web browsers
• iPad (iPadOS)
• iPhone (iOS)
• PlayStation 4
• Roku streaming players
• Roku TV
• Xbox One

For those on the fence, we’d suggest a free trial rather than splitting the subscription with a friend. Following a distribution agreement with Disney and Charter Communications, the pair announced they have “agreed to work together on piracy mitigation. The two companies will work together to implement business rules and techniques to address such issues as unauthorized access and password sharing.” Right now, this only seems to apply to customers who purchase a Disney service (Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+) through Charter, but it’s clear Disney plans to cut down on password sharing. 

Disney+ Content: Fandoms Get Their Fix

Disney has been announcing plenty of headline-worthy original content like a new Star Wars TV show called the “The Mandalorian,” another Star Wars show following Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, upcoming Marvel series like “Loki” or “WandaVision,” and a live-action “Lady and the Tramp” film. The streaming service will feature Disney and Pixar’s entire animated catalog, plus the Star Wars film series, Marvel movies released after 2019, and National Geographic content. 

There’s also some under-the-radar content that’s just as exciting. An animated Marvel series called “What If…?” is based on a comic series that explores hypothetical alternate endings and scenarios within the Marvel universe. Like what if Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four? Or what if Peggy Carter became Captain American instead of Steve Rogers? And at its recent D23 expo, Disney revealed even more Marvel content coming to Disney+, including series for the superheroes She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight.

A nature show called “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” will feature Jeff Goldblum explaining life on earth with his quintessential quirkiness. Disney Channel classics like “DuckTales,” “Boy Meets World,” and “Kim Possible” will have a place on Disney+, too. And at D23 this weekend, Disney announced a “Lizzie McGuire” sequel series featuring Hilary Duff — this is what dreams are made of. 

Fans of reality TV or musicals will be intrigued by “Encore!”, which follows Kristen Bell reuniting high school classmates to recreate the musicals they put on when they were younger. It promises to be a heartwarming journey of totally normal people attempting to reconnect to their high school talent. 

Disney’s recent purchase of 20th Century Fox means you’ll also see a lot of Fox content on Disney+, although anything R-rated, like “Deadpool,” will be found on Hulu. Disney has also announced it will be rebooting popular Fox franchises like “Home Alone” and “Night at the Museum.”

Based on everything we know about Disney+ it’s clear there will be something for everyone to enjoy, but families and fans of franchises are the biggest winners. Disney is collecting some of the largest pop culture fandoms all in one place, and all for a reasonable price.