There are so many streaming services out there now, aren’t there? It’s annoying.
How many of you have strategically signed up to one towards the end of a season of a show you like just so you can binge it and save money at the same time? Little tip for you there if you’ve never done it.
Anyway, one of the main streaming service options for families is Disney Plus, and if you ask me, it’s still the best.
Yes Netflix has more content, and Amazon Prime comes bundled with extras like free and fast delivery when you buy stuff from them, but if we are talking specifically about family entertainment, Disney+ is hard to beat.
So here’s why I think Disney+ is still well worth paying for in 2025, over and above most other streaming services.
What’s Included?
As you might expect with a brand like Disney, the streaming service is well and truly aimed at the whole family.
You get a bit of everything, but the core of the offer is the classics. Unlimited access to the biggest Disney and Pixar films from the last 20 years and beyond. It’s crazy to think that Cars the movie came out in 2006 but is still one of my little boy’s favourites. Monster’s Inc is another example of the longevity these films have.
It’s not just kids stuff though. Disney Plus is broken down into the following brands:
- Disney
- Pixar
- Marvel
- Star Wars
- National Geographic
- Star
The Marvel and Star Wars stuff is fantastic for older kids (and adults who still behave like kids), you’ve got National Geographic for when the grandparents come over 👴👵, and Star is for Mum and Dad once the kids are in bed. That makes it sound like it could be X rated, which is definitely not what I meant!
No Star is a library of TV shows and films from Disney owned subsidiaries like FX Network, Hulu, ABC, MTM, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, etc. We binged The Walking Dead on Star, and it’s got Downton Abbey, The American Office, The Bear, we all sat down and watched The Greatest Showman the other day. There’s loads on there, from originals to classics like Die Hard.
The catalogue is more static on Disney than some other platforms, but there is still new stuff on there all the time, and the stuff that is static is that way for a reason. People want to watch these films over and over. God knows how many times I sat through Moana when my son was 1, for example.
Pricing
There are three price tiers for Disney Plus, from “That’s so cheap it seems silly not to sign up”, to “How much!? I’m not paying that!”.
Have a look at this table and guess which one I’m signed up to 😂
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Resolution | Simultaneous Streams | Offline Downloads | Audio | Ads? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (with Ads) | £4.99 | — | Up to 1080p Full HD | 2 | Not available | Up to 5.1 / stereo | Yes |
| Standard (ad-free) | £8.99 | £89.90 (12 months) | Up to 1080p Full HD | 2 | Yes (on up to 10 devices) | Up to 5.1 / stereo | No |
| Premium | £12.99 | £129.90 (12 months) | Up to 4K UHD & HDR | 4 | Yes (on up to 10 devices) | Dolby Atmos support | No |
That’s right, I make my kids sit through the adverts. As you may already know, I’m all about saving money where I can, and this is an easy win for me.
If you want the downloads or to be ad free, you’ll save two months worth of subscription by paying annually if you can.
This is another thing I like about Disney+, there is a lot of flexibility with the pricing, and you don’t lose out on any content by going for the cheapest option. Plus, you can cancel any time.
Disney+ Compared with Netflix and Prime
Netflix and Amazon Prime are officially the other two biggest streaming services in the UK at the moment, and many people (including me!) have been signed up to all of them at once.
So how does Disney+ compare?
Well, at £4.99 a month for the most basic plan, Disney is the cheapest of the lot for a start. There’s only a quid in it, but still, Disney win that round. Netflix and Prime have different tiers too, but Disney+ is cheaper or the same price at every tier.
You can get better visual quality at lower tiers with Prime and Netflix, but surely only the dullest of dullards care about that? To be fair, if you’ve dropped a grand on a 4k TV you probably do care, but honestly, Disney Plus comes in HD which looks pretty good to my untrained eye. You can get 4k on the more expensive plan, but unless something has been remastered you can’t watch it in 4k anyway, right? I think that’s how it works. Oh God I’m boring myself here. Look, to me, the difference in visuals is a non-issue.
You might see it differently 😆🙃
Kids profiles are available on all platforms, and while downloading is only available on the more expensive tiers with Disney+, how often do you really need to download films? For the odd long car journey maybe? Never? Again, not an issue for us.
Really then, it just comes down to content.
Amazon Prime has kids stuff but it’s never been a winner with my kids, although it’s a great platform for me and the fella. Netflix has way more content than Disney Plus and it updates more often too, but to be honest, a lot of it is cheap rubbish. Fluff. In terms of top quality family entertainment, Disney takes the trophy. It’s miles ahead.
We still have all three for now, although the cost of living is causing a lot of belt tightening in the Smithy household, so that may soon change. If we do have to ditch our streaming platforms, I can tell you this for free: Disney Plus will be the last to go.