Back to Top A white circle with a black border surrounding a chevron pointing up. It indicates 'click here to go back to the top of the page.'

Disney Plus: How to sign up and what to watch

Captain Marvel, Mickey Mouse, and Darth Vader set on a blue Disney montage background with the Disney+ logo above them.
Disney Plus is the streaming home to all of the studio's entertainment franchises. Alyssa Powell/Business Insider

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Disney Plus is one of our picks for the best streaming services around, especially if you're a diehard Disney fan or a parent looking for family-friendly movies and shows to watch with your kids. 

From classic Disney programs to new series developed exclusively for members, Disney Plus has a growing library of titles to stream. Subscribers can watch the studio's iconic animated films, new Pixar movies, and hours of content from "Star Wars" and Marvel franchises. Recent theatrical releases also hit the service after running in theaters, like "The Marvels" and "Elemental."

Subscriptions start at $8 a month for ad-supported streaming or $14 a month for ad-free playback. There's also an option to get the Disney Plus bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus, which starts at $15 a month. That's over 40% off the regular combined cost of all three services.

If you're trying to decide if Disney Plus is right for your streaming needs, we've got you covered. Here's everything you need to know about Disney Plus, including pricing, plans, bundles, features, content, supported devices, and more.

Disney Plus Ad-Supported (Monthly Plan)

Disney Plus is an on-demand streaming service where subscribers will can enjoy movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox. This plan features ads and does not support downloads. This is the cheapest tier, although the Hulu bundles are only a few extra dollars a month.

Advertisement

What is Disney Plus? 

Disney Plus is an on-demand streaming service created by The Walt Disney Company. Subscribers can watch thousands of Disney movies and shows from all of the studio's brands, including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Studios. 

The service lets members stream content on smart TVs, phones, laptops, tablets, and gaming consoles. Disney Plus also offers multiple user profiles, 4K video support, and other convenient features. 

Advertisement

How much does Disney Plus cost? 

The Disney Plus price varies depending on which plan you choose. The service costs $8 a month for ad-supported streaming or $14 a month for ad-free streaming. An annual ad-free plan is also available for $140, which means you can get a 16% discount by paying for a year upfront. 

There's also an option to buy a Disney Plus bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus for a starting price of $15 a month. Subscribing to the bundle can save you more than 40%. You can read more about how to get the Disney Plus bundle with ESPN Plus and the different versions of Hulu in our Disney Plus bundle guide.

The Disney bundle is also automatically included with a subscription to any of Hulu's live TV plans. Hulu + Live TV offers access to over 90 channels for a starting price of $77 a month.

Advertisement

Does Disney Plus have an ad-supported plan?

Disney Plus launched an ad-supported Basic plan on December 8, 2022. The ad-supported plan costs $8 a month, which is $6 less than the ad-free plan.  

Though the ad-supported plan includes access to the entire Disney Plus library of movies and shows, it's missing a few features like Dolby Atmos audio support and unlimited downloads.

Advertisement

How do I sign up for Disney Plus?

You can sign up for Disney Plus directly through the Disney Plus website. To start streaming, you simply need to create an account by entering an email address and payment method.  

Are there Disney Plus gift cards? 

Disney Plus gift cards are available to purchase in amounts ranging from $25 to $200 in the US. Gift cards can be applied toward new or existing monthly Disney Plus and Disney Bundle plans. You can purchase Disney Plus gift cards from the Disney Plus website and retailers like shopDisney, Best Buy, and Target.

In addition to gift cards of varying amounts, Disney previously allowed shoppers to gift an annual Disney Plus subscription for an entire year of service. This option is no longer available in the US, and current gift cards can only be used toward monthly plans. 

Advertisement

What devices does Disney Plus support?

The home page of the Disney Plus app on a tablet.
You can access the Disney Plus app on many devices, including tablets. Disney Plus

You can watch Disney Plus through many connected devices, including all of our picks for the best streaming devices and best TVs. Here's a full list of devices that support Disney Plus:

  • Desktop web browsers
  • Mobile devices and tablets (Android and Apple)
  • Smart TVs (LG WebOS, Samsung Tizen, Android TV, Google TV, Vizio SmartCast, Roku TV) 
  • Game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox) 
  • Streaming devices (Apple TV 4th Gen and later, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku)
Advertisement

Is Disney Plus with ads available on Roku?

As of April 2023, the Disney Plus Basic plan with ads is now available on Roku devices. The ad-supported plan was previously unavailable on Roku products. If you're a Disney Plus subscriber and you're unable to access your account on a Roku device, try updating the device's Disney Plus app. 

What features and formats are supported on Disney Plus?

Disney Plus includes several features that make using the service more convenient. However, some features are exclusive to the ad-free plan. Here's what you get with each Disney Plus plan.

Advertisement

Disney Plus features included with ad-supported and ad-free plans:

Disney Plus features exclusive to ad-free plans:

  • Unlimited downloads via the Disney Plus app on up to 10 different smartphones and tablets. 
  • Dolby Atmos immersive surround sound on select programs.
Advertisement

What shows and movies can I watch on Disney Plus? 

A screenshot of characters from Loki season 2.
Tom Hiddleston and more on season two of "Loki." Marvel Studios

Most Disney shows or movies that have already been released are available to watch on Disney Plus. From classics like "Snow White" to recent big-screen releases like "The Marvels" and "Elemental," the service features a huge library of titles across Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Studio brands. 

Disney Plus also has lots of original programming, including series like "Loki," "Ahsoka," "The Mandalorian," "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" and "Secret Invasion," as well as movies like "Hocus Pocus 2." High-profile titles arriving over the next few months include "X-Men '97," a new Marvel show that picks up where the classic '90s animated series left off.

The service also lets you watch exclusive music content, including concert films from Miley Cyrus, BTSOlivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish, along with a film version of the Broadway show "Hamilton" and Beyonce's visual album "Black is King." 

Advertisement

You can find more information about Disney Plus shows and movies below:

Does Disney Plus still offer Premier Access?

Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson in Jungle Cruise.
"Jungle Cruise" was the last movie released via Disney Plus Premier Access. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In 2020 and 2021, Disney Plus allowed subscribers to pay an extra fee to stream select movies on the same day they debuted in theaters. This premium option was called Premier Access. Each Disney Plus Premier Access title cost $30 to unlock.

The first movie released via Disney Plus Premier Access was "Mulan," which hit the service in September 2020. "Raya and the Last Dragon," "Cruella," Marvel's "Black Widow," and "Jungle Cruise" all followed in 2021. After a three-month Premier Access window, all of these movies were then added to the regular Disney Plus catalog for all subscribers to stream without any extra fees.

Disney Plus did not release any movies through Premier Access in 2022, and the studio has not announced plans to release any additional Premier Access movies. For now, this release model appears to have been suspended in favor of exclusive theatrical releases.

Advertisement

Who should sign up for Disney Plus?

Disney Plus is an ideal service for Disney fans, whether they're Marvel geeks, "Star Wars" devotees, or animation aficionados. It's especially suitable for families with children who want to watch recent Disney movies and older Disney titles from the studio's vault.

The lineup of original programming has also grown a lot since its launch. Popular shows like "Ahsoka" and "Loki" continue to add value, and you'll need to sign up for Disney Plus to watch them.

You can read our full Disney Plus review for detailed impressions, as well as our Disney Plus review from a parent's perspective for specific thoughts on the platform's family-centric features. 

Advertisement

How does Disney Plus compare to other streaming services?

A child pointing at a TV that has the Disney+ home page on it.
Disney Plus remains an affordable streaming option, and it's an especially good choice for families. Shutterstock

Disney Plus stacks up well against other services, with competitive pricing, features, exclusive originals, and a vast back catalog of content. 

While platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video feature a rotating mix of licensed movies and TV shows from different studios, Disney Plus is focused entirely on Disney programming. That means that subscribers can count on a healthy library of classic titles in addition to new monthly releases from the studio.

However, the Disney Plus library is not permanent. Disney removed a selection of titles from its catalog in 2023, including some original shows like "Willow," and it's not clear if they plan to bring them back at a later date. This practice is common on other streaming services, but Disney was previously an outlier that tended to keep its library consistent. 

At a starting price of $8 a month, Disney Plus does remain competitively priced, and the discounted bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus adds even more value. Disney Plus is also one of the most generous streaming services in the areas of multiple-device support, profile additions, downloads, and 4K playback. 

On the downside, Disney's focus on family friendly programming does limit the service's appeal to adults. Disney has taken some steps to rectify this, by adding a handful of mature Marvel shows and three R-rated movies to its lineup, but competitors like Netflix, Max, Peacock, and Paramount Plus have a lot more content geared toward older viewers.

Advertisement

Is Disney Plus merging with Hulu?

Disney Plus and Hulu are still separate services, but as of December 2023, Disney launched a new one-app experience for users who sign up for both platforms using the Disney Bundle. Now, Hulu content is accessible within the Disney Plus app if you're subscribed to both platforms.

To watch Hulu within Disney Plus, just navigate to the Hulu hub in the Disney Plus app. This feature is still in beta, but a full version is set to launch in spring 2024.

Advertisement

Does Disney Plus allow password sharing?

Disney Plus does not allow free password sharing, and starting March 14, it will implement platform changes to restrict it. In a February earnings call, Disney CFO Hugh Johnston announced that accounts "suspected of improper sharing" will be notified with new opportunities to enable their password borrowers to begin their own memberships. This process is expected to start in the summer.

In addition, it was announced that later this year, account holders will have the option to pay an extra fee to add users outside their household to their subscription. Pricing for this feature has not been announced yet.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.

Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.

Advertisement

Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account