Disney has launched the new three-tiered subscription structure for DIsney+ in the UK and eight other European nations, which includes a new ad-supported tier for the first time.
Customers can now pay just £4.99 / €5.99 per month to access the entire Disney+ catalogue of TV shows and movies in up to 1080p and with 5.1 surround sound. The big difference is that all of the content on the streaming service will be presented with adverts.
However, T3 has learned that, while TV programming, such as The Mandalorian, Loki and Welcome to Wrexham will have commercial breaks during episodes, films will not be interrupted. Ads will be only be shown before a movie starts, not during.
Speaking during a press junket in London, the general manager of Disney + in Europe, Luke Bradley-Jones, told host Edith Bowman that it was important for the brand the movies remained intact: "Once a movie starts, we won't have that movie experience interrupted. We really believe that's important to the premium experience of the movies we have on the service," he explained.
We were shown a short pre-roll Nissan car commercial before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as an example. There won't be adverts after a film neither, as few of us actually get passed the credits so there's no point.
Disney's general manager of media networks and advertising, Deborah Armstrong, also revealed that there's another exemption when it comes to ads on Disney+: kids.
"You won't see any ads in Junior mode – previously called 'Kids mode'," she told us. "You won't see advertising in our curated selection of pre-school content neither, irrespective of what profile you are logged into.
"We're also very mindful that even if you're not a child and are likely to be perhaps watching with younger audiences, we've thought about that, too. So, content that is rated for younger viewers – 6+, 9+, etc – will have a more restricted advertising policy."
In terms of the three tiers, Standard with Ads, Standard and Premium, all existing subscribers have automatically been moved onto the Premium plan, which includes all of the benefits as before. It does cost £3 per month more, however, so everyone is also being offered a chance to switch tiers with no penalty.
You can find out which tier will suit you best in our handy guide to the three price plans.
Disney+ Standard with Ads, Standard and Premium all launched today, 1 November 2023.
