Disney Raises Streaming Prices Amid Consumer Backlash and Protests
Disney is raising prices for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN streaming services, effective October 21, prompting consumer backlash and protests outside its Burbank studios.
Disney to raise prices on streaming services amid Kimmel pushback
New York Daily News
Disney raising prices for streaming services
Fox Business
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Overview
- Disney is implementing substantial price increases across its Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN streaming services, with the changes set to take effect on October 21.
- The ad-supported Disney+ plan will increase from $9.99 to $11.99 monthly, and the ad-free monthly tier will rise to $18.99, effective October 21.
- Annual ad-free Disney+ subscriptions will jump from $160 to $190, and ESPN Select will also increase by $1 to $12.99 per month.
- The announcement has triggered significant consumer backlash, leading to protests outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California, involving writers and unions.
- Disney faces criticism for the timing of these price hikes, which coincide with existing clashes with local media giants Sinclair and Nexstar.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on informing consumers about Disney's upcoming streaming price increases. They present factual details about affected plans and effective dates, while also contextualizing these changes within broader industry trends where other streaming services are also raising prices. The reporting avoids loaded language or taking a stance on the increases.
"unveiling them immediately after offending subscribers, employees, politicians, and celebrities is tone-deaf and horribly timed."
ARS Technica"Disney is raising the prices of its streaming services, joining competitors such as Apple and Netflix in hiking subscription costs for their streaming platforms."
CBS News"With this shift, Disney's on-demand streaming services are going to be in the same price ballpark as Peacock, Apple TV Plus and HBO Max."
CNETArticles (6)
FAQ
Starting October 21, 2025, the Disney+ ad-supported plan increases from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, the ad-free Disney+ plan rises from $15.99 to $18.99 monthly, Hulu with ads goes from $9.99 to $11.99, Hulu without ads remains at $18.99, and ESPN Select increases from $11.99 to $12.99 per month.
Disney faced consumer backlash and protests due to the substantial price increases coming shortly after similar hikes last year, which many consumers and unions see as excessive and poorly timed amid ongoing disputes with local media giants.
Nearly all standalone and bundled streaming options from Disney are affected by the price increases, except for the newly launched ESPN Unlimited app, which is not seeing a price change yet.
Disney has cracked down on password sharing by introducing a paid sharing program that allows subscribers to share their Disney+ account with members outside of their household for a fee.
History
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