Another Price Increase for Disney Plus

Disney Plus will see subscription fees climbing once again as of October 21st.

New Pricing Details

The standalone version of Disney Plus that includes advertisements will see a fee increase of $2, bringing the monthly cost to $11.99. For those opting for the ad-free Premium plan, expect a jump of $3, taking the new monthly fee to $18.99. The yearly subscription will now be $189.99, up by $30. Additionally, various package deals are also subject to price hikes, which you can review on the Disney Plus support page.

Pattern of Price Adjustments

Since its 2019 debut, when subscriptions were initially priced at $6.99, Disney Plus has been incrementally raising its prices. This has become a regular occurrence, as seen with similar hikes in December 2022, and anticipated changes in both October 2023 and October 2024.

Impact on Disney’s Financial Goals

Despite the frequency of these increases, Disney's streaming service only reached profitability recently. However, the timing of this latest adjustment aligns poorly with a tumultuous period for the company, following the controversial removal and subsequent reinstatement of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' from ABC.

Crisis Management and Public Reaction

The decision to temporarily stop the late-night show's production due to controversial remarks by its host stirred public disapproval, leading to calls for a boycott of Disney’s streaming services. Nevertheless, following discussions with Kimmel, Disney reversed its decision just six days later.

Speculations Surrounding Disney’s Decisions

Journalist Marisa Kabas revealed that Disney's fast-tracked return of the talk show could have been motivated by the planned price changes for Disney Plus. An anonymous source within Disney conveyed that the company was apprehensive about losing more subscribers, especially with membership numbers dwindling since the previous week.