Disney+ confirmed a price hike in the US and UK earlier this year, and now the date of reckoning is nearly here.
Not all plans will be affected, but this will no doubt have an impact on subscribers across the country. If you want to know when this will happen, and how to save money, keep on reading.
You can also check out which Netflix plan is right for you.
When will Disney+ UK increase its prices?
Disney+ UK will change its prices on the same date as Disney+ US, 17 October 2024 for new subscribers. If you’re already subscribed, then keep on reading to find out when you’ll be billed.
How much is the Disney+ price increase?
Four Disney+ plans will be increasing this month – here’s what’s changing:
- Disney+ Standard Monthly: Increasing from £7.99 to £8.99
- Disney+ Standard Annually: Increasing from £79.90 to £89.90
- Disney+ Premium Monthly: Increasing from £10.99 to £12.99
- Disney+ Premium Annually: Increasing from £109.90 to £129.90
Disney+ Standard with Ads Monthly subscribers will stay at the current price of £4.99 per month.
Will I be moved automatically to the more expensive Disney+ plan?
Subscribers on the plans affected by the price hike will be charged the new amounts from 21 November 2024.
They will have to change their subscription to Standard with Ads before they are next billed if they want to avoid paying the new prices, or use one of our tips below to lock in for the old prices for longer.
We assume that Disney will contact customers to inform them of the changes in the coming weeks.
How to avoid the Disney+ price increase
As the new plan hasn’t come into effect yet, there is a way to avoid the price hike. You can buy or renew your account with an annual subscription before tonight, 16 October 2024 at 11:59pm BST.
An annual subscription currently costs £79.90 for the Standard Plan, and £109.90 for the Premium one. If you’re a new subscriber, you can sign up for this on the Disney+ website.
Here’s how you can renew:
- Open the Disney+ website in your browser
- Click on the profile icon on the right-hand side and tap ‘Account’ on the drop-down menu
- Follow the steps to manage your account and change your subscription – this will be different depending on how you pay for Disney+
Another way to save money ahead of the Disney+ price hike is to buy a 12-month gift subscription for yourself.
Gift subscriptions can be activated at any time. Therefore, you could lock in for an annual subscription first, and then activate this when your 12 months are up to keep the lower prices for longer. There’s currently no expiration date on gift subscriptions, so we don’t see why this shouldn’t be possible.
Here’s what you’ll need to do before 11:59pm BST on 16 October 2024 if you’re in the UK:
- Head to the Disney+ gift subscription page
- Enter the recipient’s name and email address – make sure it’s an address not registered with the site already as it only applies to new customers
- Purchase the 12-month subscription for £109.90
- Once the gift card arrives in your inbox, don’t activate it until you wish to
- When you want to use the gift card, sign up for a brand-new Disney+ account using the gift card as your payment option
If none of these options are suitable, then you can cancel you Disney+ membership altogether.
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor's Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She's also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she's written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.