Disney Plus: Everything you need to know about Disney's ad-free streaming service

• Disney Plus is the on-demand, ad-free streaming service that Disney fans have been waiting for. On the first day of its launch (November 12, 2019), more than 10 million people signed up. 
• It's now live and available to stream. The streaming service costs $6.99/month or $69.99/year after a seven-day free trial. 
• The streaming service has tons of movies and shows available to stream from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox. This content includes new original programming exclusive to Disney Plus. 
• If you'd like to give a Disney Plus subscription to a Disney fan in your life, you can now send an annual gift subscription ($69.99) via email. 

A new streaming service has joined the ranks of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and the many other services jostling for control of your TV. Disney Plus features TV and movie content from names we're all well familiar with: Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Television. 

Learn more below about how the Disney Plus streaming service works, including what shows and movies are included, how much it costs, and more. 

What is Disney Plus? 

Disney Plus is an on-demand, ad-free streaming service created by The Walt Disney Company.

With Disney Plus, subscribers can watch thousands of Disney movies and series from their devices (smart TVs, phones, laptops, tablets, and gaming consoles). The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch anywhere, anytime. 

Disney Plus content comes from Walt Disney Studios' and Walt Disney Television's biggest names: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox. 

How much does Disney Plus cost? 

Disney Plus costs $6.99 per month, or $69.99 per year ($5.83/month). This low price includes hours of entertainment spanning many different genres and interests, and best of all, it's all ad-free. 

There's also an option to buy a bundled package with Hulu and ESPN+, which costs $12.99 per month for all three services. Individually, the ad-supported version of Hulu is currently $5.99 a month, and ESPN+ is $4.99 a month. If you haven't explored the world of streaming services full yet, the bundle could be the perfect opportunity to do so for a competitive price. 

Before you commit to this cost, you can start a seven-day free trial. 

You can also read about how to get the Disney Plus bundle with ESPN Plus and the ad-free version of Hulu.

Are there Disney Plus gift cards? 

Yes. With Valentine's Day approaching, you're probably looking for a great gift for that special Disney fan in your life. If they haven't subscribed to Disney Plus already, you can get them a Disney Plus subscription card. The gift subscription is available for one year of the streaming service and costs $69.99. It's sent via email on a date of your choice. 

Learn more about how to buy a Disney Plus gift subscription. 

How to watch Disney Plus: 

You can watch Disney Plus from a large variety of places. The service lets you stream on up to four devices simultaneously:

• Desktop web browsers
• Mobile devices and tablets (Android and Apple). Learn how the Disney Plus app works. 
• Smart TVs (LG WebOS, Samsung Tizen, Android TV) 
• Boxes and game consoles (Apple TV 4th Gen and later, PlayStation 4, Roku, Xbox One) 
• Streaming devices (Chromebook, Chromecast, Apple AirPlay, Amazon Fire TV)

Does Disney Plus work on Xbox One? 

Yes, Disney Plus works on the Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X. 

Who should sign up for Disney Plus?

Disney Plus is the perfect service for Disney fans, whether they're Marvel geeks or animation aficionados. It's especially suitable for families with children who want to immerse themselves in the vast world of Disney. 

The service has been a clear hit since day one. Disney announced that more than 10 million people subscribed to Disney Plus on the first day. The Disney Plus app was also downloaded more than 3.2 million times on the first day. 

If you're someone who always ends up searching for Disney shows and movies on another streaming service anyway, you might want to consider subscribing to Disney Plus because it holds all that content in one convenient place.  

What shows and movies can I watch on Disney Plus? 

In short, virtually all of the Disney shows and movies that have already been released. You can cry through Pixar's "Coco" and "Up," learn about the world around you through a Nat Geo documentary, and satisfy your comedic itch with an episode of "The Simpsons." You'll have access to classics like "Snow White" along with recent hits like "Captain Marvel." 

With that said, some Disney titles, like "Black Panther," are still temporarily missing from Disney Plus. Their absence is due to existing licensing deals with other services and networks, and all of the missing titles will be added at a later date.

Disney Plus also includes all-new, exclusive original programming, such as a "Star Wars" TV series focused on a Mandalorian bounty hunter, a retelling of "Lady and the Tramp" featuring Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux, and a new perspective on the familiar objects in our lives through "The World According to Jeff Goldblum." The strong lineup of original Disney content alone could make a Disney Plus subscription worth it. 

These are the best original shows and movies to watch on Disney Plus right now: 

1. "The Mandalorian" The Western-style take on "Star Wars" takes place five years after the fall of the Empire and focuses on a bounty hunter who journeys far out into the galaxy. 
2. "Pixar in Real Life" This hidden camera show features interactions between Pixar characters and people in the real world.
3. "The World According to Jeff Goldblum" Journey along with Jeff Goldblum ("Jurassic Park," "Thor: Ragnarok") as he travels the world to explore subjects that are of interest to him, including how tattoos, ice cream, and sneakers are made and developed.
4. "Marvel Hero Project"  The "Marvel Hero Project" pays tribute to extraordinary kids who have helped their community. In each episode, the kids will be surprised with the honor of being made into a Super Hero with their very own Marvel Comic.
5. "Lady and the Tramp" This live-action retelling of the 1955 Disney classic "Lady and the Tramp" has an all-star cast, including Tessa Thompson ("Westworld," "Thor:Ragnarok") as the voice of Lady and Justin Theroux ("The Leftovers," "Maniac") as the voice of Tramp. 

When is the release date for Disney Plus? 

Disney Plus is now live and available to stream. It launched on November 12, 2019.

How does Disney Plus compare to other streaming services?

While services such as Netflix and Hulu cast a wide net over movie and TV entertainment, Disney Plus is much more focused and narrow in scope by revolving entirely around Disney content. Luckily, it doesn't actually feel that limited since Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Television create everything from animated kids' movies to action and sci-fi thrillers. At this point, it's difficult to find someone who isn't a Disney fan in some capacity — with Disney Plus, there's a movie or series for everyone. 

It's a major plus that Disney Plus (for the time being) is launching with zero ads. We don't know whether that will change down the line, or whether it will add tiered ad pricing like some other streaming services, but in the meantime, we always appreciate ad-free streaming. 

At less than $10 a month, it's very affordable compared to major competitors. If you find the Disney content of other streaming services lacking, subscribing to Disney Plus is an affordable way to fix that problem. 

Of all the major streaming services, it's also the most generous in the areas of multiple-device streaming and profile additions. You can stream on up to four devices simultaneously and add up to seven profiles. 

How do I sign up for Disney Plus?

You can sign up on the Disney Plus website.

Read everything else you should know about Disney Plus here:  

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