With over 220 million subscribers, Disney is also increasing its Disney Bundle pricing which includes ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+.
Why Is the Price of Disney+ Increasing?
With only one subscription plan at the moment, Disney+ aims to introduce more choice to its consumers with its new ad-supported subscription service, known as Disney+ Basic, making it another subscription service with ad options in favor of more affordable plans. There won’t be an annual payment option, but instead, there will be wider flexibility across Disney+ and the Disney Bundle.
In a post on The Walt Disney Company’s website, Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution explained the different price plans would offer more appeal to a broader audience.
Disney+ Price Increase From December
With our new ad-supported Disney+ offering and an expanded lineup of plans across our entire streaming portfolio, we will be providing greater consumer choice at a variety of price points to cater to the diverse needs of our viewers and appeal to an even broader audience. Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ feature unparalleled content and viewing experiences and offer the best value in streaming today, with over 100,000 movie titles, TV episodes, original shows, sports and live events collectively.
However, come December, the ad-free tier of Disney+ is increasing to $10.99 per month and will become Disney+ Premium, which will be pricier than Netflix and may force some subscribers to choose between Netflix and Disney+. At the same time, an ad-supported tier is being introduced called Disney+ Basic at $7.99 per month, the same price as the current ad-free plan.
Kids and preschool programming that display child-friendly content only will not receive any ads.
Disney Bundle Pricing Is Going Up Too
Unsurprisingly, as Disney owns Hulu with a 67% stake in the company, Hulu is also expecting a price hike on 10 October 2022.
Its current ad-free plan at $12.99 per month will increase to $14.99 per month, while its ad-supported plan will increase to $7.99, an additional $1 per month from its current $6.99 per month charge.
The ESPN+ subscription service will also cost more from 23 August, costing $9.99 per month ($99.99 annually) for its ad-supported plan, $74.99 per event for UFC PPV, and $124.98 annually for UFC PPV + Annual.
But that’s not all—Disney Bundle plans are also going to cost more, however, it’s a little more complicated since existing subscribers (known as legacy users) will receive different pricing than new subscribers. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from the new Disney Bundle subscription plans:
Basic (with ads): Disney+, Hulu - $9. 99/mo Basic (with ads): Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ - $12. 99/mo Legacy: Disney+ (no ads), Hulu (with ads), ESPN+ (with ads) - $14. 99/mo Premium: Disney+ (no ads), Hulu (no ads), ESPN+ (with ads) - $19. 99/mo
On December 8, there will also be changes to the Hulu+ Live TV plans:
Basic (with ads): Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ - $69. 99/mo Legacy: Disney+ (no ads), Hulu (with ads), ESPN+ (with ads) - $74. 99 Premium: Disney+ (no ads), Hulu (no ads), ESPN+ (with ads) - $82. 99
There’s no official word on how long the ads will last, or how often they will appear on services with new ad-supported plans.
Ad-Based Disney+ Is Coming
Whether you’re a new or existing Disney+ subscriber, the upcoming Disney+ price changes will be introduced on December 8, 2022.
Although Hulu and ESPN+’s plans will experience a price increase before then, Disney+ subscribers will need to prepare for the new pricing plans by the end of the year.
