Here comes another round of “streamflation”: Disney is raising the prices for all stand-alone tiers of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ in the U.S. this fall, as well as for most of its bundles.
The higher prices, which go into effect Oct. 17, are of course aimed at boosting Disney’s top-line streaming revenue and, ideally, their profitability. The pricing for the recently introduced Disney+/Hulu/Max combo offered in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery will remain unchanged, and the Disney+/Hulu Premium no-ads bundle will stay at $19.99/month.
Disney, in announcing the price hikes Tuesday, said that beginning Sept. 4, Disney+ subscribers will have access to the ABC News Live streaming channel and a playlist focused on preschool content. Disney+ Premium (no ads) subs will have access to four additional curated playlists later in the fall.
“With this growing offering, and new ways to enjoy your favorite Disney+ content, Disney subscription plans remain among the best values in streaming today,” the company said in announcing the price hikes.
The announcement of the playlist features and addition of ABC News Live seems intended to try to soften the blow of the across-the-board price hikes for the streaming packages. The ad-supported version of Disney+ is rising $2 monthly, to $9.99; Disney+ Premium (no ads) is also going up by two bucks, to $15.99. Hulu with ads will now cost $9.99/month (up $2) and the ad-free Hulu is going up a dollar, to $18.99/month.
Also increasing by $2 per month are the Disney triple-play bundles with Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, while the Disney+/Hulu Basic bundle (with ads) is going up by $1. (A chart with the company’s updated streaming pricing is below.) In the U.S., Disney last raised rates for the ad-free tiers of Disney+ and Hulu, as well as ESPN+, in October 2023.
The Disney+/Hulu/Max package will remain $16.99/month with ads and $29.99/month without ads.
The new pricing for Disney’s streaming services is as follows:
| Service | New Monthly Price* | Previous Monthly Price |
| Disney+ Basic (With Ads) | $9.99 | $7.99 |
| Disney+ Premium (No Ads) | $15.99 | $13.99 |
| Hulu With Ads | $9.99 | $7.99 |
| Hulu With No Ads | $18.99 | $17.99 |
| ESPN+ | $11.99 | $10.99 |
| Disney Duo Basic (Disney+, Hulu with ads) | $10.99 | $9.99 |
| Disney Duo Premium (Disney+, Hulu without ads) | $19.99 (unchanged) | $19.99 |
| Disney Bundle Trio Basic (Disney+ and Hulu with ads, ESPN+) | $16.99 | $14.99 |
| Disney Bundle Trio Premium (Disney+ and Hulu without ads, ESPN+) | $26.99 | $24.99 |
| Hulu + Live TV (With SVOD Ads) | $82.99 | $76.99 |
| Hulu + Live TV (No SVOD Ads) | $95.99 | $89.99 |
Next month, Disney+ will launch a playlist focused on preschool content featuring TV series and shorts available on the service including “Sofia the First,” “The Lion Guard,” “Puppy Dog Pals” and “Minnie’s Bow-Toons.” Later this fall, four additional curated playlists will initially roll out to Premium subscribers, featuring Disney+ content that will be refreshed monthly: Seasonal Content (a collection of seasonal-themed content from across the Disney+ catalog); Epic Stories (a compilation of stories from brands and franchises including Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars); Throwbacks (with nostalgic pop culture content); and Real Life (featuring traditional documentaries, biopics and true stories).
“Playlists are the latest example of how we’re providing the best value and experience for our subscribers every time they open Disney+,” said Alisa Bowen, president of Disney+. “Whether its news, kids’ content, popular genres, hit TV shows or blockbuster films, there will be something for everyone in a lean-back viewing experience based on seasonality and interest.”
Disney is scheduled to report earnings for the June quarter, its Q3 of fiscal 2024, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, before market open.
Source Agencies
