In its short time on the market, Disney+ has quickly become one of the leading figures in the streaming wars – and its line-up has got even stronger with the launch of Disney+ Star.
This add-on service brings with it a vast library of content from the likes of Fox, FX and ABC, including sitcoms How I Met Your Mother and Scrubs, as well as iconic cult TV hits like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files.
Star’s roll-out has significantly diversified the range of films and series available, which had previously been restricted to generally family-friendly fare.
But do not fear: Disney+ is still be safe for children to browse through, thanks to parental controls which will put the more mature content firmly out of reach for little ones.
Check out the complete list of Disney+ Star shows and Disney+ Star movies or read on for everything else you need to know about the streaming service – including compatible devices and an imminent price increase.
A guide to Disney+ UK
How can you sign up? How much does Disney+ cost? And what are the best shows and films to watch? Find out everything you need to know about the Disney streaming service below.
What is Disney Plus?
Disney+ is a major new streaming service owned by The Walt Disney Company which features a host of new and past TV series and films from Disney and its many subsidiaries.
That means you can not only expect to find Disney projects like Lady and the Tramp, but also shows and films from:
- Pixar
- Marvel
- Star Wars
- Fox
- National Geographic
- Star (from 23rd February 2021)
From February onwards, Disney+ subscribers will have access to a range of shows and films made by Disney’s creative studios (FX, Fox, 20th Century Studios, ABC, Searchlight and Freeform) with the addition of Star – a brand new section coming to the streamer.
As per streaming services like Netflix, you don’t have to buy each show or film you watch; instead, you pay a monthly subscription for access to all titles on the service’s massive library, completely ad-free.
Unlike other streaming services, however, Disney+ won’t release new shows in bulk, with original productions like Marvel’s WandaVision instead airing weekly.
How much does Disney Plus subscription cost?
A Disney+ subscription costs £7.99 per month or £79.90 a year in the UK. Any pre-Star Disney+ subscribers will note that there’s been a small hike in price. But even so, the price of Disney+ will still be less than a Netflix premium plan which comes in at £11.99 a month.
While the vast majority of content on Disney+ is included in your subscription cost, the studio does occasionally release so-called Premier Access titles which are available for an additional fee.
The first title in this scheme was the live-action remake of Mulan, which landed on the service for an initial cost of £19.99 (on top of the subscription fee) and became a free title three months later.
Upcoming animated adventure Raya and The Last Dragon is expected to follow a similar release strategy.
How do I sign up for Disney Plus?
You can sign up to Disney+ on their website or through the Disney+ app.
You can download the app on most Android and Apple devices, as well as most Smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV. Check out our guide to find out how to download the Disney Plus app.
Find out more about compatible Disney+ devices.
You’ll be able to sign up to the service through Sky Q and NOW TV – Disney+ will be available as an add-on.
What devices are compatible with Disney Plus?
The Disney+ app can be downloaded on most Apple and Android devices, Smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices, as well consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox.
Read more about Disney+ compatible devices and how to set up Disney Plus on your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
How many devices can I watch Disney+ on?
Disney Plus UK subscribers can watch on four screens at the same time. That’s the same as Netflix’s Premium Plan and one more than Amazon Prime Video. You can also register up to ten devices, and Disney+ will support seven profiles.
Can I get Disney Plus on Sky?
Disney Plus has teamed up with Sky meaning you can get the Disney Plus app on your Sky Q box. You can watch the new service alongside your other Sky content, easy peasy. It’ll also just be added to your Sky bill. Even easier. Disney Plus is also available on NOWTV too.
Disney Plus on Virgin Media and BT won’t be integrated but you can still get the app.
What TV shows are on Disney Plus?
Top Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and Fox shows are available for all subscribers, including:
- Star Wars series The Mandalorian, a live-action show set in the outer reaches of the galaxy between episodes VI and VII.
- Marvel Studios are rolling out an ambitious slate of shows set in its cinematic universe, starting with WandaVision (streaming now) and continuing with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (March), Loki (May) and several others currently in production.
- 30 seasons of hit animation series The Simpsons.
- A new Toy Story series centred on new character Forky, called Forky Asks a Question. Viewers can also expect Lamp Life, an animated short exploring where Bo Peep was during the events of Toy Story 3.
- Earth to Ned, an original series from the Jim Henson Company that follows a titular blue-skinned alien and his lieutenant, Cornelius, who are sent to scout Earth for an eventual invasion. Instead, what happens is they become obsessed with popular culture – starting up their own chat show in the process.
- All seven seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. An animated series delving into what happened between Episode II and Episode III.
- High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The scripted show is set in the school in which High School Musical was filmed, and sees students putting together their own stage version of the film. Not confusing at all.
- A National Geographic show led by Jeff Goldblum called – amazingly – The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
If you want a full list of what you can watch we have a guide to everything on Disney Plus, or the best TV Shows on Disney+.
Later on, viewers can expect titles such as:
- Several Marvel TV shows including Ms Marvel, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki and What If…?.
- A Star Wars Rogue One prequel series based around Diego Luna’s character Cassian Andor.
- An Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wars series, starring Ewan McGregor as the main Jedi Knight.
What movies are on Disney Plus?
Disney+ hosts a gigantic library of classic Disney movies (think Snow White), to Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and Fox movies.
The biggest films to look out for include…
- Mulan – the live-action remake was released onto the streaming service due to continued disruption from coronavirus. However, it is Premier Access only for the time being so requires an additional payment of £19.99.
- Hamilton took Broadway by storm back in 2015 and continues to be wildly popular. Now the award-winning musical has arrived on Disney+ for all theatre fans to see.
- Frozen 2. Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Disney made the hit sequel to the kid’s movie available from 3rd July.
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, along with all the previous Star Wars films, are available on Disney+.
- The Marvel Cinematic Universe. Almost all of the MCU superhero films will be available to watch, including Avengers: Endgame.
- Disney+ original movies including Togo and Lady and the Tramp
- 20th Century Fox classics including Mrs Doubtfire.
- The X-Men movies, including the acclaimed X-Men: Days of Future Past.
- Elephant – a feature-length documentary following elephants in migration, narrated by Meghan Markle.
- Dolphin Reef – a feature-length documentary narrated by Natalie Portman about a young dolphin called Echo.
- Mary Poppins Returns, the Emily Blunt-led sequel is set 25 years after the original film.
Later on, viewers can expect titles such as:
- A Cheaper by the Dozen remake
- Hocus Pocus 2 – A follow-up up to the cult 1993 hit
You can find out more in our guide to the best movies on Disney+.
Is Disney Plus worth it?
There’s certainly a lot going for Disney+, with its subscription price (£7.99) cheaper than Netflix’s standard package (£8.99). And while Netflix’s standard package only allows for viewing on two devices at once, Disney+ allows for four screens to simultaneously view titles from one account.
At the launch of the service, a weak spot for Disney Plus was that its content was almost exclusively child and teen-friendly, leading to a shortage of mature titles for adults to dive into. However, that’s has totally changed with the roll-out of Star on 23rd February 2021 – oh, and a parental lock within the platform to keep nervous parents happy.
2021 also sees the Marvel Cinematic Universe kick off its fourth phase on Disney Plus, with WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and What If…? launching over the next few months, making it the streamer of choice for comic book aficionados.
Read more in our ‘Is Disney+ worth it?’ analysis
How many people can watch Disney Plus at once?
One Disney+ account can host seven profiles and can stream different shows from four separate screens.
Read more about how many screens can stream Disney+ titles simultaneously – and a comparison with Netflix
Can I download Disney Plus films and TV shows?
Yes, you can download titles and watch them later on the Disney+ app. Downloads will last 30 days
What is the difference between DisneyLife and Disney Plus?
Disney already had a subscription service in the UK, called DisneyLife. A £4.99 subscription granted access to a catalogue of 450+ Disney movies (including all the original versions of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book and so on).
Disney+ confirmed during a Twitter Q&A that DisneyLife will be replaced with Disney+. Read more about the difference between DisneyLife and Disney+.
Sign up to Disney+ now for £79.90 for a year
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