Everything you need to know about Disney Plus
Disney has been one of the biggest and most loved content creators for decades. Ever since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in 1937, Disney has been a household name with countless hit movies and shows that generations have grown up with.
Now with its own streaming service Disney+ (pronounced Disney Plus), available in Australia, everyone can now relive their childhoods and show the younger generations the classics that we all know and love. Let’s take a look at what you can expect when you sign up to Disney+.
What is Disney+?
Disney+ is Disney’s own version of a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service where you can expect a library of films and shows. Not only does Disney have a huge selection of animated and live-action films and shows under the Disney brand, you’ll also find shows and movies from other content producers under the Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars (Lucasfilm), National Geographic brands and more.
Much like other streaming services, you’ll have access to a library of shows and movies, but the real stand out for Disney+ is that this is very much a family-friendly streaming platform. It also has content from Star and ESPN — housing more mature content and sports content.. Disney+ divides its content into categories so it’s easy to keep Disney+ very family friendly, and you are able to set up a Kids Profile for children under the age of seven. It also makes navigating the platform easier as you simply choose the ‘Star’ or ‘ESPN’ categories to find alternative viewing options.
Disney is also one of the few production companies to release its streaming service outside the US. While many TV networks and production companies in the US, such as HBO, release their own streaming platforms, these companies rarely launch these platforms outside the US. Instead these companies license content to Aussie pay TV and streaming platforms such as Foxtel, Stan and Netflix.
How much does Disney+ cost in Australia?
Like most other streaming services, Disney+ is a paid subscription service. Disney+ Standard costs $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year. Disney+ Premium costs $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year.
| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $15.99 over one month |
2 | $15.99 |
Get Deal |
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min. cost $20.99 over one month |
4 | $20.99 |
Get Deal |
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^^View important information | |||
Does Disney+ have a free trial?
Unfortunately for fans, Disney+ does not have a free trial anymore. Despite launching with a 7-day free trial, it removed this option in mid-2020.
- Check out our guide to see which streaming services offer free trials.
What do you get with a Disney+ subscription?
Disney+ offers two streaming tiers – Standard and Premium. Feature inclusions and exclusions for each plan are listed below.
| Plan | Features |
|---|---|
| Disney+ Standard |
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| Disney+ Premium |
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How to watch Disney+
Disney+ is available to stream on a multitude of devices, from TVs, mobile devices and tablets, as well as gaming consoles.
If you want to watch Disney+ on your TV, the Disney+ app should be available on Smart TVs from LG, Samsung and Panasonic, along with Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV devices and Roku services, or through Fetch TV, Telstra TV and Foxtel.
Disney+ is also compatible with Chrome, Mac and Windows operating systems, Android and Apple phones and tablets, along with Xbox One, Xbox Series S & X, along with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 gaming consoles.
Test your NBN speed
Got Disney+ lined up but aren’t sure if your internet can handle it? Test your NBN Speed below!
What to watch on Disney+ Australia
If you’re a big Disney, Marvel or Star Wars fan, you’ll probably already have your mind made up as to whether you’ll be signing up to the streaming service. After all, Disney+ is the streaming home to much of this content, not to mention the original programming. Check out some of the best shows to watch on Disney+ here. Not only will you get to enjoy all the Disney classic films you grew up with, but many of the popular Disney shows from the 80s, 90s, 00s are also available.
ESPN on Disney+
For Disney+ subscribers who love sports content, ESPN is now available. Viewers are able to access hours of live sports content, including NBA, WNBA, NHL, NFL and MLB. Disney+ subscribers will also be able to watch popular ESPN analysis programs: The Pat McAfee Show, First Take, SportsCentre, NBA Today and more. Viewers will have access to all of this content live and on demand.
Star on Disney+
While Disney is considered a very family-friendly company, it also owns the rights to a huge range of content for more mature audiences, especially since the acquisition of Fox. After about a year since the Disney+ launch, the decision was made to start rolling out this content on the platform, launching a new category — Star. This category houses a huge selection of shows and movies including Marvel’s Deadpool films and Logan (definitely not for the kids), which was not made available in the ‘Marvel’ section of the platform before.This category doesn’t cost more and is available to every Disney+ subscriber.
Is Disney+ worth it?
Ultimately, you’ll know if a Disney+ subscription is right for you. If you’re a fan of Star Wars or Marvel (or perhaps both), with the thought of having access to the existing Star Wars and Marvel shows and movies — along with a whole bunch of new and original content — you might find yourself signing up sooner or later. Now that these assets have found their home on Disney+, you won’t see any Star Wars or Marvel pop up on the likes of Netflix or Stan — especially the new shows and movies.
Likewise with Disney and Pixar content, this is the streaming home of many Disney and Pixar movies, including older movies and shows. Plus, it’s the Australian streaming home of seasons 1 to 30 of The Simpsons, so you can binge-watch your favourite episodes to your heart’s content.
It’s clear that Disney did create Disney+ with families in mind, so if you have kids, you might find that this could be the family-friendly app you’ve been looking for. For adults, the addition of ‘Star’ and ESPN could definitely tempt you to sign up. If you love documentaries, you might find there is enough National Geographic content to keep you occupied. Or you can just relive your childhood by binge-watching your favourite Disney movies and shows.
The Disney+ Australia subscription fee is fairly well priced – considering the platform has a range of options for the entire family. All in all, if you like the sound of what Disney+ has to offer, you’ll certainly have a great time kicking back and watching some of the world’s most popular and successful franchises of all time. If you’re still not sure though, check out our Pay TV and streaming ratings to see how Disney+ stacked up.
What are the best internet plans for streaming Disney+?
Disney+ doesn’t currently offer a report on streaming speeds like Netflix does, however there are NBN speeds which are required for video streaming. Generally you’ll find the Standard Plus NBN 50 speed tier is likely the best option for high-definition video streaming, especially if you have multiple users streaming simultaneously.
As for Ultra HD 4K (which Disney+ does offer on select content and compatible devices), you’ll most likely need a plan on the NBN 100 speed tier, which is recommended by NBN Co as the speed tier required for this quality of streaming.
Keep in mind that there are many factors that can affect the NBN speeds you experience, especially during the peak high-traffic evening time. When researching NBN plans, it’s worth comparing the expected peak evening speeds listed by the providers to give you a rough indication of typical performance.
The following table shows a selection of plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest and all featuring unlimited data. Use our comparison tool to see all plans available on Canstar Blue’s database. These are products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited NBN 100 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 100 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited NBN 50 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 50 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited NBN 25 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 25 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited NBN 12 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 12 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
About the author of this page
This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Senior Telco Specialist, Emma Bradstock. An expert in all things phone, internet, gaming and streaming, Emma helps to make complicated subjects easier for readers to understand, as well as covering the latest news and reviews across the telco industry. She’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed telco choices and highlighting the next best deals.