A Month Into Its Launch, Disney Reveals Its Long Range Prowess as Disney+ Ties Into Theme Parks and More

With 10 million downloads on launch day Nov 12th, Disney+ offers a sweeping challenge to its primary competitor, Netflix

Disney+ Ties into the Company’s Rich History of Storytelling, its Theme Parks, Live Entertainment and More

Disney stands apart from other streaming services in offering theme parks and live entertainment for consumers directly that tie into its new video streaming service, Disney+. Guests who visit Walt Disney World Resort in Florida can enjoy live shows and entertainment from DJ dance parties to kid parties, costumes, photo ops, themed food and beverage, and unique merchandising for original shows such as The Mandalorian at Keystone Clothiers, Star Wars Launch Bay and Tatooine Traders at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. New guests and existing fans of Disney can also sign up for Disney+ at any of its theme parks or stores. www.disneyplus.com

“Disney Plus is the future of our company.”

— Disney

Disney also offers new videos sharing the company’s history of original storytelling and its founder, Walt Disney’s vision.

“There’s no real secret about our approach. We keep moving forward.”

— Walt Disney, founder of Disney

Ad-Free and Affordable with 10 Million Downloads on Launch Day

Unlike the video streaming platforms Hulu and ESPN+, both of which Disney has a stake in, Disney+ is completely ad-free. Back in April of this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared more specifics about Disney+, the company’s new online video streaming service at the end of the investor call.

Disney+ is not the company’s first streaming platform as the company already successfully launched ESPN+, the sports-centric video streaming service earlier this year in April, built on technology developed by BAMTech, an arm of the Major League Baseball Advanced Media www.mlb.com that develops direct-to-consumer streaming technology.

Hot on the heels of Apple TV+ launch on November 1st and premiering at $7/month on November 12th of this year, Disney+ secured over ten million downloads on launch day — an unparalleled feat for any online video streaming service and outperforming analyst expectations by over two million, according to The Wall Street Journal. Disney+ offers a seven-day free trial before payment commences. The service is a discount compared to Netflix’s lowest tier that starts at $9/month.

After demand exceeded expectations, Disney+ suffered some launch problems such as slowed streaming and users being pushed out of the app for several hours — something that did not go unnoticed by rivals in the increasingly competitive online video streaming direct to consumer space. Nonetheless, this is expected to be remedied and managed well as the company’s new service continues to expand to households worldwide. HBO Max from AT&T and Peacock from Comcast also debuted soon after Disney+, showing how eager companies are to offer consumers direct entertainment online. Despite its technical glitches and its entry into an increasingly crowded space of entertainment options, Disney+ stands apart because of its large content library of original content, existing popularity, global reach and scale. To put it in perspective, HBO Now took three years to reach 5 million subscribers — something Disney+ achieved in half a day on launch.

Verizon has also offered a full year of free Disney+ service to all subscribers on its unlimited plan. Ronan Dunne, CEO of Verizon Consumer Group, reported that Verizon has approximately 100 million total wireless subscribers, of which half — 50 million — are on unlimited plans, according to Variety.

Impressive Lineup of Content: Exclusive Home of Disney Favorites, New Movies and Shows, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic

With almost 500 movies and 7,500 original shows, Disney+ comes in strong with a massive content library that includes both new and old Disney favorites previously not available on streaming networks, new movies and original shows in development and the full catalog of original content from its acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic.

While the entire catalog of each entertainment brand in the Disney portfolio is not available immediately as some still have existing contracts with Netflix that will expire in three years, Disney+ does include popular favorites like the entire first two Star Wars trilogies and the newer movies “Force Awakens” and “Rogue One” as well as Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Endgame.” Also with its acquisition of Fox, Disney now is the sole distributor of “The Simpsons” series.

Disney+ Worldwide Rollout In Stages

Disney+ will roll out worldwide in stages, as revealed during its investor call over the next two years.

Currently, Disney+ is available in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands. Disney+ will launch in Western Europe on March 31st. This includes the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other areas. The service is slated to roll out in Eastern Europe and Latin America starting in October 2020 and in Asia Pacific in progressive stages over the next two years.

The Mandalorian: A New Era for Star Wars

Disney+ offers an original spin-off from the Star Wars franchise with “The Mandalorian,” written and produced by Jon Favreau, known for “Ironman” and “The Lion King.” Each episode has a different director. “The Mandalorian” is a story about a lone gunfighter in a lawless galaxy. It also introduces a baby Yoda character, who has already stolen hearts all over the Internet, propelling searches for baby Yoda toys right before Christmas. Baby Yoda not only appeals to fans of the adult Yoda created by Daniel Oz in the original Star War series, but has enthralled new audiences in a charming way that only Yoda can.

How to Stream Disney+

Disney offers many ways to stream its new popular video service via smartphones, tablets, computers, connected TVs and also streaming media. The company has agreements in place with numerous tech companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft as well as TV and streaming media service companies such as Sony and Roku. Disney also has recently expanded Disney+ to Amazon, Samsung and LG. Thus you can watch Disney+ using any of these methods below:

Roku's boxes, sticks and TVs
Apple TV, iPhone and iPad
Smartphones and TVs running on Android operating systems and Chromecast streamers
Xbox One
PlayStation 4
Amazon Fire TV devices
Samsung smart TVs
LG smart TVs

Product Features

Disney + offers features such as:

streaming 4K Ultra HD content in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio
simultaneous streaming to 4 devices
creation of 7 user profiles for 1 account with over 200 avatars available
unlimited mobile downloads for offline viewing for up to 10 mobile devices
English, Spanish, French and Dutch at launch with audio support and subtitles
support for closed captioning, descriptive audio and navigation assistance for subscribers with disabilities

Every week, we’ll feature an in-depth review of one Disney+ original show, allowing for at least five to five episodes to be live first, before we offer any perspective on it. Enjoy! In the meantime, go ahead and sign up for Disney+ at www.disneyplus.com and try it out for the first week. Share your feedback or ideas you want to share about this post at hello@elf.agency.

Avengers: Endgame Ushers in New Era of Storytelling: Shared Viewing Experience and Global Box Office Records

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame raked in $1.2 Billion in its opening weekend, the biggest opening of any film ever.

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“Avengers: Endgame” brought in $1.2 billion its opening weekend at the worldwide box office, breaking prior Marvel Studio records set by “Avengers: Infinity War” at $640 million last year. “Avengers: Endgame” has become the only film in history to debut at the $1 billion mark, achieving this milestone in just five days as the film rolled out last week on Wednesday.

Domestically too, the film shattered records, besting the prior $258 million mark reached by “Avengers: Infinity War” with an estimated $350 million this past weekend, even surpassing analyst estimates. The film opened astronomically with $60 million on its first night domestically, besting “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at $57 million in 2015.

Fans arrive for a costume contest before the first screening of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Photo by Frederic J. Brown, Agence France-Press/Getty Images

The film’s global earnings also exceeded by large measure, the prior record held by "The Fate of the Furious” in 2017. Of the $859 million earned globally, the last film in the Avengers series was very popular in China where the film made $330.5 million, becoming the most popular debut in China’s history.

A New Era in Storytelling: Worldwide Platform and Shared Viewing Experience

“Avengers: Endgame” has become a worldwide cinematic event where movie theaters are rushing to add showtimes to keep up with audience demand as seats quickly sell out, with some theaters showing the film round the clock 24 hours a day. With a run time of more than three hours, “Endgame,” is showing nationwide at all hours to meet demand. Moviegoers are eager for the full cinematic experience, which includes premium 3-D IMAX tickets and AMX food and beverage, leading to the highest sales in history. “Endgame,” is playing in more than 4,600 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, which is the widest release of any film, according to box-office data firm Comscore.

“We’re watching a monumental moment in the history of cinema unfold - one that the entire world is experiencing together.”

— Shawn Robbins, Chief analyst at Boxoffice.com

Today moviegoers worldwide can enjoy almost simultaneous film releases, creating a global storytelling phenomenon. “Avengers: Endgame” is the last film in a series of popular films that are intricately woven with individual films throughout the Marvel universe, amounting to a total of 22 interconnected films.

“The pent-up factor, off the ending of ‘Infinity War’ and on the heels of ‘Captain Marvel,’ drove people to show up.”

— Cathleen Taff, Disney’s head of distribution

Over the last 11 years, Marvel has reigned at the box office, beginning with “Iron Man” in 2008. With so many interconnected story lines and characters appearing across films, Marvel has become a household name, along with its line up of eclectic superheroes ranging from Thor to Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel. Marvel’s remarkable continued success has also triggered competing studios to look for their own franchise wonders. Marvel’s slew of comic book heroes has also revitalized the exhibition industry and made American comic books a worldwide global export.

Image via WSJ and data from Boxoffice Mojo

“Though ‘Endgame’ is far from an end for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these first 22 films constitute a sprawling achievement, and this weekend’s monumental success is a testament to the world they’ve envisioned.”

— Alan Horn, Walt Disney Studios' chairman

Creating films based on its founder Stan Lee’s comics, Marvel Studios has made almost $20 billion at the worldwide box office over the last 10 years. Few movies are so popular with moviegoers and also with critics. “Endgame” has a 96% score on review site, Rotten Tomatoes and an A+ CinemaScore.

Marvel’s excellent marketing of the most recent Avengers movie builds upon its prior successes. The launch of Disney’s new online video streaming platform, Disney+ could not be more fortuitous or well planned. Moviegoers can enjoy watching blockbuster hits from Marvel, along with its other popular franchises such as Star Wars, Pixars and its own range of Disney popular favorites and classics on both the small screen now, as well as large IMAX screens.

“This will extend to the small screen as well with Disney + on the horizon. We will likely see a lot of synergy between the big and small screen.”

— Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore

Disney+ Launches at $7/Mo: Our First Look

Taking the wraps off Disney+, Disney offers consumers a compelling, impressive lineup with popular favorites.

Image of Disney+ on tablet courtesy of Disney

Essentials about Disney+

launches Nov 12
$6.99/month
includes franchises Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and Disney classic films
includes newer Disney films such as “Frozen”
includes favorites from Fox such as The Simpsons
includes National Geographic and Disney family-friendly TV programming
500 movies at launch, 7,500 episodes of television shows
25 original series
free of advertising

On April 11th, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared specifics about the entertainment company’s new online video streaming service, first announced back in November of last year, during an investor call. At the end of its two-hour and forty-five minute investor call to share details about Disney+. Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+ is priced at $6.99/month, which is roughly half of what consumers pay today for Netflix’s standard streaming package and also $2 less than Amazon Prime Video. Disney+ will launch on Nov 12. During the investor call, Disney CEO Bob Iger also briefly discussed bundling Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN but did not offer more details about timing or pricing.

“This is our first serious foray in this space and we want to reach as many people as possible.”

— Bob Iger, CEO at Disney

Disney+ Design and Features

Launching November 12 of this year, Disney+ or Disney Plus will be viewable on web browsers, smartphones, smart TVs, set-top multimedia boxes and tablets. The service works in a similar fashion to Netflix or Hulu. Disney+ highlights new content and special releases at the top of the home screen. You can explore Disney’s quality lineup ranging from Marvel and Star Wars to Pixar, National Geographic, Disney classics and new Disney movies in the works. The app recommends titles similar to Netflix or Amazon based on personal taste and has parental control features. Disney Plus will stream both HDR and 4K video.

While the app’s appearance is consistent across devices, there are some minor differences depending upon the platform. For example, audiences watching on smart TVs also can view animations. Disney allows for offline viewing and downloading content on to mobile devices for Disney+ subscribers.

Disney+ Content

Disney expects to showcase 500 movies that include 100 newer releases and 400 library titles of its iconic movies as well as 7,500 television shows. Disney+ expects to grow to 50 original series, 10,000 past TV episodes and 120 recent films within the next five years. As expected, the full library of content on Disney+ will be less than 20 percent of the content currently available on Netflix, according to a study by research firm Ampere Analysis. While Disney+’s streaming library is significantly smaller than Netflix’s collection, Disney+ boasts well known consumer favorite franchises and quality content. Disney+ reaps the benefits of Disney’s acquisitions of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and 21st Century Fox. Popular Disney classics such as “Snow White,” “101 Dalmatians” and “The Little Mermaid” as well as newer favorites such as “Captain Marvel,” “The Avengers: Endgame,” “Frozen 2”, “Toy Story 4” and “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker” will be exclusive to Disney+. “Captain Marvel” is the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that will not be available on Netflix.

Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that almost every single movie in the Disney catalog will eventually be available on the service, pulled out from its vault. While Netflix will continue to show existing Disney movies on its platform till the launch of Disney+, the streaming giant did announce that it was canceling the Daredevil TV series.

Disney+ will host the complete 30 seasons of “The Simpsons,” including all 662 episodes, as well as numerous family-friendly Fox programs. Disney acquired Fox back in 2017. Additional 20th Century Fox titles that will be on Disney+ include “The Sound of Music” and “Malcolm in the Middle.” Less family-friendly content from Fox is expected to go to Hulu, a company in which Disney owns a 60 percent stake. Disney+ will contain the entire Star Wars franchise as well as 18 Pixar movies at launch and Pixar’s animated shorts. Disney is also developing new series such as Monsters Inc. with Pixar and Star Wars television shows.

While Disney did not announce new Star Wars or Marvel projects during its Disney+ investor presentation, the company shared a quick preview of John Favreau’s highly anticipated Star Wars TV series, “The Mandolarian.” Favreau’s take on the popular Star Wars franchise is set seven years after the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. The story follows “a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.” Additional Star Wars spinoffs include a live-action series with Diego Luna as Cassian Andor and a seventh season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars series.

Kevin Feige at Marvel Studios also shared that Tom Hiddleston will reappear as Loki in the new “Loki” series. Feige confirmed that Disney+ will be integrated with future feature films at Marvel and will add documentaries behind the scenes such as “Marvel 616” and “Marvel Heroes Project” TV shows.

Disney+ is also developing two new shows “Magic of the Animal Kingdom” and “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” for National Geographic, in addition to over 250 hours of existing National Geographic content. Additional Disney channel programming such as live-action kid movies, “Hannah Montana,” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” will also be available on Disney+.

Additional series that are rumored to be in development for Disney+ include:

an untitled Muppet series
3 Men and a Baby
Don Quixote
Father of the Bride
Flora & Ulysses
Lady and the Tramp
Magic Camp
Noelle
The Paper Magician
The Parent Trap
The Sandlot
Stargirl
The Sword in the Stone
Timmy Failure
Togo
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

Ten Unscripted Series in the Works

In April, a report surfaced that Disney+ would also include ten unscripted series of the following projects listed below.

Marvel’s 616: a documentary about Marvel’s stories, characters and creators

Earthkeepers: a documentary about the people such as conservationists who are changing how we see animals.

Be Our Chef: a Disney-inspired cooking competition hosted by Angela Kinsey of The Office.

Cinema Relics: an anthology of film props, art and costumes.

Encore: a recreation of original performances from former members of a high school musical with The Good Place actress Kristen Bell as producer.

Marvel’s Hero Project: a documentary about inspiring kids who have demonstrated selfless acts of bravery and kindness.

(Re)Connect: a story about a family that breaks apart and the issues that drive families apart and how to resolve them.

Rogue Trip: a travelogue of places that most tourists would not dare to venture by Bob Woodruff and his 27-year old doppelgänger son, Mack.

Shop Class: a competitive series about inventive students tasked who design, build and test new contraptions.

Untitled Walt Disney Imagineering documentary series: a documentary about the people, craft and business behind Disney’s theme park magic.

Non-Disney content: content from National Geographic and 21st Century Fox’s magazine and affiliate TV businesses.

Audiences can also choose to fork out $69.99 for a full year subscription, saving $13.89. Whether consumers sign for the monthly or annual subscription, they can enjoy access to the full library that includes originals such as “Dumbo” and “Bambi” to Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” the full Star Wars collection and the 21 films currently on video from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel’s recent billion-dollar blockbuster, “Captain Marvel,” along with Marvel’s upcoming release “Avengers: Endgame” will stream exclusively on the new platform. “Frozen II,” the sequel to the 2013 musical fantasy that garnered $400.7 million nationwide, will launch in theaters November 22. After the movie completes its multiplex run, it will be available for streaming on Disney+ right after its theatrical window expires.

Disney+ Devices

Disney+ will be available on smart TVs, web browsers, smartphones, tablets, TV boxes and game consoles like the Nintendo Switch. The company is working on launching its app on the PlayStation 4 and on Roku devices to be easily accessible to consumers everywhere.

Disney+ Availability

Image from Disney’s classic “Dumbo” (1941) via Disney

When Disney+ launches on November 12, 2019, the platform will be accessible throughout North America. Western Europe and the Asia-Pacific market will have access by Q2 of 2020 and Disney+ will roll out to all major markets within two years as Disney builds out deals with its partners around the world. Disney is also planning to create new content for the platform for $2.5 billion and to easily move over films after their theatrical releases direct to streaming. New TV series in the works include the live-action Star Wars series “The Mandalorian,” directed by Jon Favreau, known for directing the first Iron Man (2008) as well as the Marvel series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.”

Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Favreau at Disney+ investor presentation. Image via Disney

“Since we’re starting with new characters in a new time period, it’s a great way to bring in new fans.”

— Jon Favreau, Executive Producer of "The Mandalorian"

Favreau shared clips from the new series at the investor presentation. “Mandalorian” will consist of eight episodes. He is also the director of Disney’s live-action “Lion King” reboot, arriving in theaters July 19.

Disney expects to have 60-90 million new subscribers via Disney+ by 2024 with 30 percent coming from domestic markets, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Ben Swinburne in an April 8 note to investors. Disney+ is expected to have 5 million paying subscribers by the end of 2020. To build awareness about Disney+, Disney is launching a large marketing campaign across its properties such as Disney theme parks and important events such as Comic-Con. Through Disney’s TV networks (ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel and more) can connect to more than 100 million consumer households.

“[The company is set to unleash a] “synergy campaign of a magnitude that is unprecedented in the history of Disney.”

— Ricky Strauss, President of Content and Marketing for Disney+

During the investor call, Disney CEO Bob Iger, who is responsible for Disney’s largest acquisitions such as Pixar Animation, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd. and the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox since becoming CEO in 2005, said that he will be stepping down from his contract at the end of 2021. Disney is in the process of finding a suitable replacement. Iger’s remarkable success as CEO took the entertainment company (DIS) from $23 a share to $130 a share when Disney+ was announced.

Wall Street responded well to Iger’s presentation of Disney+, its new streaming-video service. Netflix (NFLX) shares fell almost five percent on Thursday.