With 10 million subscribers signing up just on the first day, the magic of Disney is in full force.

At $6.99 per month, the cost is comparable to other streaming services, such as Netflix at $8.99, and Hulu ringing in at $5.99 per month. With 500 movies and 7,500 television shows, Disney+ is a viable addition to your queue and may even bump other streaming services off your list. 

“Disney+ is like a portal to my childhood,” said Ella Deshotel ‘20, who was an early subscriber to Disney+.

So, is it worth it? Well, it depends. If you are an avid Disney fan, or simply someone who wants a throwback to the old Disney channel days, it is probably a great investment. It’s likely a must-have for those who want, or need Disney classics and The Disney Channel shows and TV movies at their fingertips. Don’t forget brands such as Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, NatGeo, etc. that you will miss out on watching if you don’t subscribe. 

Only a few exceptions are still tangled up in other streaming services (Netflix and Hulu are losing most of their Disney content to the new service when contracts expire) so unless you have the space to keep stacks of dusty VHS classics, you’ll need a Disney+ subscription.  

At least part of the decision is whether one can justify the expense. Put simply, will you watch seven dollars worth of Disney shows? It seems a relatively small expense in day-to-day living. For seven bucks, you can score a Double Double at In-N-Out or a venti Salted Caramel Mocha with a couple of extras, and still be looking for entertainment the remaining hours of the day.

But the dollars do add up. Families are also less likely to forgo Amazon Prime and Netflix memberships and miss out on their original programming offerings no matter what Disney+ is keeping to themselves. It should be noted that Hulu is bundling with Disney+ and ESPN for $12.99 a month to ease the family decision, and help everyone buy into the idea.

You might be wondering: with all the movies and television shows, who has time? Apparently, teenagers make the time. According to the Common Sense Media 2019 report, 62% of teens watch 4-8 hours plus programming a day. For the record, that’s more than twice as many young people who watch videos every day than those in 2015, and the average time spent watching has roughly doubled. 

The early opinion on Disney+ is thumbs up. Just in time for the holidays.

“Disney Plus gives me and my family a reason to take a break from what we’re doing and watch a movie together,”said Julia Katz ‘20.