Reasons a subscription to Disney+ isn’t a wise decision

By Manahil Hassan, November 28 2019—

While I can’t speak for everyone, I can confidently attest to the fact that Disney was a vital part of my childhood. Whether it was spending my weekdays watching That’s so Raven or constantly wishing for Hannah Montana’s iconic wig, Disney taught me a lot about life. As cheesy as it may sound, it taught me to value friendship and to find joy in the little things in life. More importantly, Timone and Pumbaa taught me about Hakuna Matata. 

As true as all of this is, I can’t bring myself to pay for the seemingly impractical subscription to Disney+ — a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu that solely streams Disney movies such as Cinderella and The Lion King. 

A monthly subscription will cost an individual around $8.99 per month which comes out to around $89.99 per year. Although this may seem like a small price to pay for endless choices of Disney movies, a lot of us forget about our other online subscriptions too. Many individuals already pay around $8 a month for Netflix for the basic package, but Netflix recently announced a $3 increase on all their standard and premium plans. This means that many of us can expect to pay between $13.99 and $16.99 for either the standard or premium Netflix plans per month. When you add that cost to the potential money you might shell out for Disney+, it doesn’t seem worth it at all. 

There was a time when Disney movies streamed on Netflix too and we could watch whatever movie we wanted whenever we felt like it. There are even a few still available on Netflix until 2020. However, we are expected to pay almost $100 a year to pay for movies and TV shows we have already watched. It seems quite counter-productive to do this when you can access these movies from other sources such as YouTube. Additionally, all that money some people are spending on both their Disney+ and Netflix subscriptions can be spent towards something that really matters, like travelling and learning more about the world. Disney+ is a shiny new toy that we will get bored of. We have seen it all before. Moreover, their seven-day free trial means that individuals can watch any movie they want for free and then avoid paying for the subscription in the first place, which doesn’t benefit the company at all. 

Disney+ is just another distraction that no one needs in their lives. If we really want to experience the nostalgia we felt during our childhood, we should buy DVDs of the best Disney classics and watch them on television instead of streaming those classics on our laptops or computer screens. That is authenticity. 

This new streaming service seems like an out-of-this-world package deal with your favorite movies only a click of a button away — but we can access the same movies available on Disney+ through other online mediums. On top of that, Disney fans would have already watched the best TV shows and classics — what happens when we are done watching those? We will get bored because let’s be honest, the newer Disney movies and TV shows aren’t as fun to watch. 

Disney+ seems more like a scam than a streaming service that will benefit us in the long run.

This article is part of our Opinions section and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gauntlet’s editorial board.