Disney nostalgia, lucrative bundles, and an overcompensating amount of content
My Disney+ Review (2026): A Look Past My Disney-Coated Glasses
6 min read
Edited ByBrenna EliesonWant to experience the wonderful world of Disney without the lines, crowded parking, and crippling strain on your wallet? With the Disney Plus streaming service, you get the next best thing, bringing Disney to the comfort of your own home.
I eagerly waited for Disney Plus to go live when it launched in 2019 — and on day one, it delivered on its promise: a streaming service for all things Disney, including its first original, “The Mandalorian.”
As of 2026, the service is packed with feel-good nostalgia, modern heroes, galactic stories, and mature cinema (thanks to my Hulu bundle) assembled in a systematic library.
Of course, with great content comes great drawbacks: interface issues, impending price hikes, and insubstantial content taking up space.
Despite everything, if you are a Disney-lover like me, you and your family are going to enjoy Disney Plus.
Why you can trust us
At Reviews.org, our team takes its editorial independence seriously. We may earn money when readers click affiliate links, but we don't work for our brand partners, and they don’t approve our pieces before publication. To learn more, visit our About us page.
Checking out what is new on Disney Plus. Image by Benjamin Lee, Reviews.org
Our breakdown of Disney+
Our review of Disney Plus is based on four main criteria. We give a score for each, and then average them to give you an overall score.
Disney+ plans and prices
2/5
*
U.S. residents, 18+ only. Access content from each service separately. Location data required to watch certain content. Offer valid for eligible subscribers only.
Disney+ Premium is cheaper than Netflix ($24.99 per month) and HBO Max ($22.99 per month), and for even more value, it bundles with Hulu, HBO Max, ESPN, and NFL+ for sports fans. Here is a full breakdown of all plans and bundles.
As a day-one Disney Plus subscriber, I can tell you that price increases can be a major concern. At launch, Disney Plus was only $6.99 per month. The price has increased annually, and the premium tier has since been added.
Today, the basic tier, Disney Plus, is $11.99 per month. This tier supports ads, 5.1 audio, 4K UHD & HDR, and up to 4 streams. The next tier, Disney Plus Premium, is $18.99 per month, removes ads, supports Dolby Atmos, and allows downloads on up to 10 devices.
For those who love quality, 4K viewing on both tiers is definitely a plus. However, keep in mind that although Premium advertises no ads, live events will still have commercials. Occasionally, you’ll also see a promo for Disney or Hulu content at the start of your movie or episode. Fortunately, these promos are short and skippable.
Currently, there is no official free trial of Disney Plus, but you can sometimes access a free trial through third parties such as Verizon Wireless and Spectrum TV.
Disney+ vs. the competition
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
Disney+ experience
5/5
The cast of “Zootopia 2” welcomes us to Disney Plus. Image by Benjamin Lee, Reviews.org
Disney Plus's personality shines right when you open the app. With the streaming release of "Zootopia 2," for example, Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Gary De'Snake appear at the logo to welcome you.
The service's layout is intuitive, and when bundled with Hulu, the library is packed with diverse content from Disney classics to Hulu Originals, separated by categories like Comedies, Trending, and Nostalgia. That said, spending more time with it reveals some cracks. Categories like Recommended for You, You May Also Like, and Series for You feel repetitive, and the Movies, Series, and Originals tabs, while helpful, ultimately feel messy — selecting a genre lists everything alphabetically with no other way to filter.
The standout feature is the content hubs. From the homepage, you can filter by Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN, with Disney Plus offering dedicated hubs for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Each hub has a themed banner and a quick opening, with specialized categories to explore. The Hulu hub, sadly, gets less love — no opening logo, no banner, just content sorted by genre.
As a cinephile, one of my favorite aspects of Disney Plus is its IMAX Enhanced versions of select blockbusters, which expand the aspect ratio and, combined with 4K and Dolby Atmos, create a true cinematic experience at home.
The web and mobile versions mirror the TV experience, with tabs shifted to the top. The mobile app also introduces Verts, short vertical clips from popular shows and movies similar to YouTube Shorts, designed to help you decide what to watch next. This seems to be Disney Plus's first step toward catering to TikTok-trained audiences.
Although rare, there have been some minor issues with the user interface:
- Episodes occasionally start from the newest entry rather than where you left off, though a refresh usually resolves it.
- Changing the audio language for one title can sometimes affect another, despite correct settings.
- Continue Watching sometimes retains completed titles, though Disney Plus has since added the option to manually remove them.
Not only does Disney Plus give you access to its vast library, but it also offers some special perks. You will get access to premium app free trials, special discounts, sweepstakes, and even the chance to become a D23 Gold Member. Check the perks page for the latest offers.
Disney+ features
| Multiple streams at the same time | 4 (2 with a bundled plan) |
|---|---|
| Users must live under the same roof | Yes |
| 4K (Ultra HD) + HDR | All tiers |
| Recommended internet speed | 5Mbps for High Definition content 8Mbps for live content 25Mbps for 4K UHD content |
| Parental controls |
 |
Disney+ content library
5/5
Disney Plus makes good on its promise of being the home of Disney. If you love iconic princesses, royal lions, lightsaber duels, and legendary heroes, then Disney Plus will be a strong fit for you. Here is — and I cannot stress this enough — a small taste of what you can expect with Disney Plus:
Disney:
- Animation: Cinderella, Snow White, Fantasia
- Disney Channel Originals: Kim Possible, The Proud Family
- Disney Channel Original Movies: Camp Rock, Johnny Tsunami, Halloweentown
- Originals: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Muppets Now, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Pixar:
- Feature Films: Toy Story, The Incredibles, Up
- Originals: Win or Lose, Dug Days
- SparkShorts: Kitbull, Float, Smash and Grab
Marvel:
- Marvel Cinematic Universe Films: Iron Man, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy
- MCU Originals: WandaVision, Loki, Daredevil: Born Again
- Marvel Animation: X-Men 97, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Star Wars:
- Films: The Skywalker Saga, Rogue One, Solo
- Animation: The Clone Wars, Rebels
- Originals: The Mandalorian, The Acolyte, Andor
- Vintage: Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, Droids, The Story of the Faithful Wookiee
National Geographic:
- Docuseries: Tucci in Italy, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth
When bundled with Hulu, the library expands significantly, with originals like "Paradise," "The Beauty," and "Only Murders in the Building," plus the Animation Domination lineup including "Family Guy," "Bob's Burgers," and "The Simpsons."
Disney Plus also has international content, including European dramas, anime, Latin American titles, and K-pop documentaries. There aren’t any dedicated hubs, but they can be found under categories like International Series and International Originals.
With the addition of Hulu’s more mature content, the streaming service ensures that its parental controls are simple and effective. Junior Mode restricts profiles to age-appropriate content, and pin numbers can be added to limit access further, ensuring your child can search "The Jungle Book" without stumbling onto "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."
The only constants are ABC News and Disney Playtime, while the other livestreams rotate occasionally. For example, to prepare for the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” in March 2026, Disney Plus launched a dedicated “Hannah Montana” livestream. If you bundle ESPN, you will have access to live sports such as the NHL, PGA Tour, and even Banana Ball. Quality-wise, live content can be hit or miss. While live episodes maintain great quality, live news and coverage appear quite blotchy.
While the platform has a large library of titles, there is a lot of filler content. Disney Plus can announce 20 new titles coming next week, only for most of them to be podcast episodes, making-of documentaries, music videos, sneak peeks, and recap videos tied to a single film. This additional content may appeal to audiences more attracted to short-form entertainment or who love seeing creators talk about their craft. Nevertheless, it's hard not to raise an eyebrow at Disney+ labeling these DVD bonus features as individual titles.
Overall quality
4/5
As a longtime subscriber, I recommend Disney Plus to anyone who loves Disney. It's easy to navigate, and its mix of TV, movies, and short-form content makes it a great fit for families. The best value is the Disney Plus, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle — $32.99 for premium, ad-free access to all three, which breaks down to roughly $11 per service. Just stay vigilant about potential price increases.
When all is said and done, who can say no to the home of Stitch, Groot, and Grogu?
Hide
See all Disney+ plans here
I reviewed Disney+ with the Hulu bundle, watching movies, shows, and exploring every tab and category. With Disney+ set to fully integrate Hulu in 2026, this review should remain accurate throughout the year.
- Explored every hub and category
- Used the Disney Plus Help Center to find logistical information
- Tested Disney Plus on web and mobile
- Watched livestreams of different shows and live news/coverage, such as the Red Carpet event at the Oscars
- Asked friends, family, and colleagues about their experiences
- Compared Disney Plus with Netflix and HBO Max
For more information on how we test, check out our methodology.
Disney+ FAQ
No, there is no official free trial in 2026. You can sometimes get a trial with third parties like Verizon Wireless and Spectrum TV.
Disney Plus on its own offers limited ESPN content. In order to get full access, you need to bundle it with ESPN Unlimited. NFL+ Premium is also available.
Disney Plus allows up to four simultaneous streams. If you have a bundle, streams are limited to two devices at once.
Related Articles
My Disney+ Review (2026): A Look Past My Disney-Coated Glasses
Disney’s new streaming service is a lovely sight to see, but how does it stack...
T-Mobile Fiber Internet Review: Customers Call It “Amazing”
T-Mobile Fiber offers impossibly good discounts, up to 2,000Mbps download speed, and price guarantees up...
Verizon Coverage and Availability
Verizon’s internet services are available mostly on the East Coast. Learn more about where to...
Ting Internet Review
Ting Mobile started out as a small discount phone carrier. Now it’s in the home...
