Disney has announced a price increase for its Disney Plus subscription service, set to take effect on October 21st. The standalone plan which includes ads will rise by $2, bringing the monthly cost to $11.99. Meanwhile, the no-ads Disney Plus Premium plan will increase by $3, now priced at $18.99 per month. Annual subscriptions for this plan will also see an increase of $30, totaling $189.99 per year. Several bundled options are also subject to price hikes.
These changes occur during a period of heightened public scrutiny for Disney, particularly following a recent controversy involving the late-night program Jimmy Kimmel Live!. After temporarily suspending production due to comments made by Kimmel regarding Charlie Kirk, Disney faced backlash and calls for boycotts of its streaming services. Only six days later, the company announced the return of Kimmel’s show, stating that they had engaged in “thoughtful conversations” with the host.
Journalist Marisa Kabas reported that Disney may have acted swiftly to reinstate the show due to concerns over subscriber retention. According to a source, Disney was experiencing “hemorrhaging” subscriptions and could not afford further losses coinciding with the announcement of the price increases. The impact of these decisions on the company’s subscriber base and overall reputation remains to be seen.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/783489/disney-plus-streaming-subscription-price-increase