Disney+ : The End of TV?

Disney+ : The End of TV?

On Nov. 12, the long anticipated “Disney Netflix,” Disney+ launched in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. This was launched as a specific contender in the ever-expanding streaming field, including the newly launched Apple TV Plus and the ever-popular Netflix. Business watchers are saying we are entering a “streaming war,” with more companies focusing on the streaming market, which we’ve seen with multiple original series like Stranger Things and the eventual launch of NBC’s, Peacock.  Disney+ has multiple pros and cons, and they each make Disney+ one of the most praised new streaming platforms.

Disney+ has one of the strongest varieties of almost any streaming service. With over 500 films and 7,500 episodes of different television series available at launch, Disney+ has something for everyone. From shows that the whole family will enjoy to cult classics to exclusive content only available on the service, it has something for every mood, from Marvel to National Geographic nature documentaries. Plus, the ability to download content is also available for Disney+, so on long trips and in non-wifi areas, you can watch content. 

Disney is advertising many original series strongly, including the Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian, and the Office-esque High School Musical The Musical: The Series. My personal favorites of the original series are The Imagineering Story (the story of Disney’s theme park enterprise) and The World According to Jeff Goldbloom (an in-depth look at common day products). Also, multiple original movies and shows are scheduled to launch in the coming months, including the second seasons of The Mandalorian and High School Musical The Musical: The Series.

Disney+ also is extremely cost-effective. For the first year, Disney+ costs $6.99 per month, paying $83.88 per year, or you can pay $69.99 once per year for Disney+. In comparison, Netflix costs $8.99 per month for its most basic plan, which would cost $107.88 per year, showing that Disney+ will save you $37.89 per year. Disney+ also has a “Triple-Play” option, including the streaming services Hulu (normal TV shows) and ESPN+ (sports), that costs $12.99 per month, paying $155.88 for 12 months of service. Netflix, for its premium plan, which includes being able to stream in 4K and HD on up to four screens, costs $15.99 per month, resulting in $191.88 for 12 months.  Disney+’s “Triple Play” option will save $36 per year against the Netflix Platinum Plan. Financially, Disney+ will save you more money in the long-run. 

However, Disney+ has seen some cons, mostly its impact on the stock market.  For December 2019, Disney’s stock has slowly declined. This does not also may be influenced by Disney+. Because Disney is a multi-faceted company, the revenue for this 2019 may also be influenced on the delayed opening of the heavily anticipated Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Walt Disney World, and the money from producing Frozen 2  and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. However, the revenue for the Disney company in the third quarter of 2019 (July, August, and September) went up 33.51%. Although Disney+ wasn’t released in this quarter, most of the shows were announced during August 2019’s D23 Disney Fan convention. This shows that we can predict a very high increase in the stock market for Disney. However, Netflix has slowly declined and has strong money making as well. 

So, is Disney+ worth it? The answer is yes. The original series, along with the multiple classics, make a library for everyone, and the cost is affordable for the whole family. However, is Disney+ the end of TV? No. There are still multiple things that Disney+ and streaming don’t have, such as live news, so I think TV will still stay on for the foreseeable future.