Disney+ with ads is here, but it won’t work on your Roku
Disney+ has solidified itself as one of the essential streaming services by offering high quality TV shows and films from Marvel, Star Wars and other beloved franchises, alongside a variety of other programming such as nature documentaries and Pixar movies. For that reason, Disney+ is the latest streaming service to increase its price in the US, taking it up to $10.99 a month. That’s $3 more than you’d have normally paid, and if you want to remain at that price, you’ll be watching ads.
The ad-supported tier is a new addition for Disney+ and it’s first starting off in the US before coming to other key markets at some stage in 2023. This new tier, Disney+ Basic, allows you to pay less, but you’ll be restricted in what it’s possible to do with it. You will be able to watch all the same content as the newly named Disney+ Premium, but you won’t be able to use Downloads, GroupWatch, or SharePlay features. Dolby Atmos support also won’t be available. Disney says these features aren’t available at launch, which may mean they’re set to bring them to the Basic tier at a later date.
Oddly, Disney+ Basic is also not available on any Roku device, which means you’ll have to pay for the Premium subscription if that’s your streaming device of choice. It’s unclear why Roku isn’t being included, but there’s no sign of Disney fixing the problem either. If you need to change your streaming device, we’ve got a selection of thebest streaming devicesfor you to pick from. The Basic tier also isn’t available for those wanting to use the Microsoft Windows Desktop app.
The standard Disney+ Basic will cost $7.99 a month from now, and if you decide not to switch from your current setup you’ll be moved automatically to the $10.99 plan. There are other options with a Disney Bundle Duo Basic that gives you both Disney+ and Hulu with ads on both for $9.99 a month. Add on an extra $3 a month, and you’ll get the Disney Bundle Trio Basic, which offers the same two services and ESPN+ with ads. Finally, you could get Hulu’s Live TV option included with those three other services for $69.99 a month.
We don’t yet know how many ads you’ll be served during your next Disney+ binge, but we do know that ads are currently restricted to ones sold through direct partnerships with Disney. Eventually, that will change, though. So far, the company has said it won’t be including ads related to alcohol, politics, or rival media companies. Plus, there won’t be targeted ads at launch, but that is expected to launch at some point soon.
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