Do you have a Disney Plus subscription? Then there is a good chance that you will soon be faced with a surprise. The streaming service is adjusting the conditions, with far-reaching consequences for subscribers. Even if you have the most expensive Premium subscription, you will still see advertisements.
That’s not the only bad news. Disney Plus also lost several key features in recent months, while the price remained the same or even increased. From loss of 4K and HDR to problems with AirPlay and Chromecast. In this article we explain why canceling your subscription can be a smart move.
Advertising for everyone, including Premium subscribers
Disney Plus has the terms of use adjusted and subscribers will be informed about this by email. The most important point: advertisements are no longer reserved for the cheapest subscription. The streaming service is now also allowed to show advertising with the Disney Plus Standard and Premium subscription types.
According to the new conditions, this concerns content, advertisements and promos before or after a movie or series is being played. It doesn’t stop there. Disney may also display sponsorship messages and other promotional content. The advertisements do not have to be only about new Disney films or series, but can be also from external advertisers come.
Advertisements can now also appear on live broadcasts, special events and other content. For subscribers who opted for an ad-free experience, this is a big disappointment.
Tracking for personalized advertising
Disney also uses tracking to make advertisements more personal. The advertising you see can be tailored to data that the streaming service collects about you. According to the company, no advertisements are shown for children’s profiles.
No more Dolby Vision and HDR
In addition to the introduction of advertisements, Disney Plus has recently lost a lot of functionality, while the price remained the same or even increased. Support for Dolby Vision and HDR is gone, and 4K streaming was temporarily disabled completely. 4K is now available again on some devices, but it still does not work on the Apple TV 4K. This is particularly frustrating for users who have chosen the highest quality and paid the most for it.
Casting and AirPlay no longer work
AirPlay doesn’t work in some countries, so you can’t send Disney Plus from your iPhone or iPad to a TV. These restrictions are due to patent cases that Disney is involved in in Europe. Casting via Chromecast is also no longer possible in the Netherlands. For subscribers, this means that you can do less with your subscription, while paying the same or more.
Looking for alternatives
With Disney Plus adding advertising for all subscribers while removing key features, the value for money is becoming less and less attractive. It is therefore worthwhile to look at alternatives that do offer value for money. Think of Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, SkyShowtime, NLziet, Netflix or HBO Max. In the article below we compare different streaming video services.