Disney+ And Hulu Streaming Prices Are Going Up Again At The Worst Possible Time
Some of the highlights of the new pricing structure is as follows:
- The ad-supported plan, previously a budget-friendly option, will see a $2 increase, bringing its monthly cost to $11.99.
- For subscribers who prefer an uninterrupted viewing experience, the ad-free, Disney+ premium plan will now cost $18.99 per month, which is a $3 jump from before.
- The popular Disney+ and Hulu bundle with ads will increase a couple bucks to $12.99 per month.
- The larger bundle, which includes ESPN Select and ads, will now cost $19.99 per month, representing a $3 increase.
- Finally, the premium bundle that offers an ad-free experience on both Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select will see a $3 increase to $29.99 per month.
Disney's announcement comes closely after the launch of its ESPN DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) program in August, which is meant as a standalone streaming service for ESPN's full suite of networks to attract cord-cutters and cord-nevers.
On the surface, an extra $2-3 per month may not seem like much, but let's not forget that Disney has steadily raised prices every October since 2021 (as far as we can tell), so this year may be a breaking point for some long-time customers. Folks might have to start evaluating their streaming habits and potentially cut back on the number of services they subscribe to at any given time. And let's not get started on subscription fatigue—from Apple+ to Plex, practically every streaming service has been compounding the problem.
Anyway, existing subscribers will not feel the pinch immediately as the new prices will be applied automatically on their first billing cycle after the October 21st effective date. Disney encourages current members to review their plans and consider whether a bundle might offer a better value for their viewing needs.
