Disney+ is raising the price of its legacy streaming bundle, forcing longtime subscribers to pay an additional $36 annually for the same services.
Beginning September 17, the legacy Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundle will increase from $24.99 to $27.99 per month. The package includes Disney+ without advertisements, Hulu with advertisements, and the ad-supported ESPN Select service formerly known as ESPN+.
According to Cord Cutters News, the new rate will appear during subscribers’ first billing cycles on or after September 17.
The $3 increase amounts to approximately 12 percent. Existing customers will receive no additional features or programming in exchange for the higher price.
The bundle is no longer available to new subscribers. Customers can retain it only by maintaining continuous service. Anyone who cancels or switches plans will be unable to return to the legacy package.
Streaming Prices Continue to Rise
Although Disney has not offered an explanation, the move follows a broader trend across the streaming industry.
In March, Netflix raised prices across its various tiers, with the Premium plan increasing to $26.99 per month. At the time, the streamer told Variety that the higher rates would allow it “to reinvest in quality entertainment and improve their experience.”
Logos for YouTube, Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV, and Netflix – YouTube; Disney; Paramount; HBO Max; Peacock; Apple TV; Netflix
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Earlier this month, Peacock also increased its rates for new and returning customers—the service’s fourth price hike in as many years. Its most expensive tier, Peacock Premium Plus, now costs $19.99 per month following a $3 increase.
Variety reports that HBO Max, Apple TV, Paramount+, and YouTube Premium have also raised their subscription fees over the past two years.
Against that backdrop of increasingly expensive streaming subscriptions, legacy customers must determine how Disney’s new price compares with its current alternatives.
How the Legacy Bundle Compares
Despite the increase, the legacy bundle remains less expensive than Disney’s closest equivalent currently available to new customers.
Disney now charges $32.99 per month for its Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select Premium bundle. That package removes advertisements from both Disney+ and Hulu, although commercials may still appear during select live and linear programming.
A clip from the NFL on YouTube – YouTube, NFL
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Subscribers willing to accept advertisements across all three services can purchase the standard Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundle for $21.99 per month. That leaves the legacy plan in an increasingly awkward position: Customers must pay an additional $6 to remove commercials from Disney+ while still receiving ads on Hulu and ESPN Select.
Is Ad-Free Disney+ Worth the Higher Price?
Streaming price increases are typically justified by promises of better or more substantial programming. However, Disney+ appears to be moving in a different direction, evolving into a platform that more closely resembles a social media site than a hub for premium entertainment.
The recent addition of vertical videos, a partnership with TikTok, and a new reality series built from Twitch streamer ExtraEmily’s previous livestreams may raise questions about the service’s value. Is paying an additional $6 per month to watch this material without commercials worthwhile when much of it is already available elsewhere?
Shot from Zombies: Locker Diaries, episode 2 – Disney Channel, YouTube
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The increase gives legacy subscribers several weeks to decide whether ad-free Disney+ remains worth the additional expense. However, anyone considering a change must proceed cautiously. Leaving the discontinued plan is permanent, and returning customers will have to choose from Disney’s current lineup.
Legacy subscribers may still receive a reasonable discount compared with purchasing the three services separately. Nevertheless, Disney is once again demonstrating that loyalty to an older streaming plan offers no protection from steadily rising prices.
Are you surprised that Disney is raising the price of the Legacy Bundle? Sound off and let us know!
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