As a big Disney fan, as well as an avid TV viewer, Disney Plus (Disney+) drew me in from the first announcement, and since it has been in our lives for almost a year now, I thought I would give it a quick review, for anyone still considering purchasing it, or just wanting to hear another outlook. Disney+ seems to have held up really well in the ever-growing world of subscription services. Besides the natural all-things-Disney appeal, Disney+ offers a lot of bang for your buck and has many features that make it more than worth the 7$ a month. Here’s my Disney Plus review and reasons why it makes a solid streaming device for any Disney fan.
Table of Contents
The Dollar Rule
I have a rule when it comes to streaming services, now that there are so many, and it is that there has to be something I want to view for every dollar I’m spending at launch. So, if I’m paying $12, there needs to be 12 movies or shows that I’m interested in on the platform or it’s not worth my money to me.
Disney+ is an excellent use of this rule, because whether an avid Disney fan or not, it’s fairly easy for anyone of any age to find 6 or 7 things on Disney+ that are worth your dollars, considering how vast their library is.
Disney+ Launch
At launch, the platform was already incredibly impressive, being the new home of every Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars film and show. If that wasn’t enough, Disney+ also has the shorts, documentaries, behind the scenes features, National Geographic content and even brand-new content, that is completely exclusive to Disney+.
It completely varies on age range, but the very first thing I clicked on on launch day was Hannah Montana. This is a strange choice for sure, but being someone who grew up on early 2000’s Disney Channel, it was incredibly exciting for me that I could now access all of my childhood favorites, from Wizards of Waverly Place to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, considering prior to the release of Disney+, reruns of these shows were nearly impossible to come across.
Disney Plus Review: First World that Comes to Mind
As a Disney fan, the first word that comes to mind when I think of this service is convenient. Any time I have an inkling to watch a film or show that is Disney property, I know it will be on there, and I won’t have to spend ages scouring the internet.
My roommate and I had a Star Wars marathon on May the 4th, and I’ve watched Frozen 2 multiple times since launch. It’s easy, it’s loaded with content, and it’s not at all difficult to find something you’ll enjoy, whether it be something you’ve never seen before or something you’re revisiting for the hundredth time.
Disney+ Originals
Along with all of the sought-out classics, they’ve also attempted some originals. I’ve only viewed High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and The Mandalorian at this point (which is kind of embarrassing considering the service has been out nearly a year and the first episodes of both shows were available at launch) which were both incredibly enjoyable, not to mention successful, The Mandalorian‘s Baby Yoda stealing hearts nationwide as well as a boatload of Emmy nominations, and HSMTMTS already working on a follow-up season.
There have been announcements for other originals that have yet to be released, which I see as very commendable because they could’ve simply taken the lazy route and just loaded up all of their existing content and left it alone, considering the incredibly low price point, but Disney+ always seems to be doing something new, which keeps it fresh if you’re not interested in watching your favorites on loop.
Disney+ and Hamilton: The Musical
Recently, there was an exclusive deal made where Disney+ released a recording of the Broadway production of Hamilton on their platform, and this widened horizons even more. If people weren’t necessarily interested in traditional Disney content, but were avid theatre fans or had simply been hearing the hype about Hamilton over the years and were curious, they now had a reason to invest in the streaming service.
This deal also opens up many possibilities with live theatre distribution in a digital age, with the recent announcement of Broadway’s Aladdin taking the same path, and the theatre community hoping for more releases in the future.
What’s great about Disney+ in its core is the age range, with content to entertain a two-year-old to someone like my grandmother and her group of friends, who bought a month on the platform solely to watch Hamilton. Disney+ also has decades of content going all the way back to their traditional cartoons from the early days, up to recent releases such as Onward.
Disney Plus Review: Mulan on Disney Plus
Things may be taking a turn, however, with the recent announcement of the release of the live-action Mulan film. Due to the pandemic, the film’s March release was indefinitely delayed, with fans anxiously waiting for the company’s decision.
After many months, it was announced that Mulan will be released on Disney+ on September 4th, but there’s a catch: it will cost 29.99 to watch on top of the Disney+ subscription cost. Needless to say, fans and subscribers were not happy, not only because of the high price point, but the fact that this is now an option Disney has decided is ideal, putting future releases in a place where they could receive the same, unfortunate fate. Ultimately, this is an ongoing experiment, and I’m sure the release day numbers will decide whether we can see similar releases in the future.
Disney Plus Review: In a Nutshell
While I’m a Disney fan and am interested in Disney content regardless, Disney+ is truly one of the best services on the market at the moment, with its abundance of content, wide range and fresh entertainment that will keep fans of all ages hooked, whether presented with a load of extra time due to quarantine, or beyond.
About the Author
Alina Jade Leffel is thrilled to be joining the Mickey Business team! She’s 19 years old and recently received my bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing for Entertainment from Full Sail University.
Alina’s an avid Disney fan and Disney World Passholder (that is, when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic) and will be participating in the postponed Disney College program once things start back up as normal. If you’d like, check out her YouTube channel, Alina Jade, her Instagram, and her website, Alina’s Medianalysis where she writes movie and TV reviews.
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