The Disney Plus App is the new smartphone app for Disney’s streaming service. Many of us have already traded in our cable TV viewing for on-demand streaming with Netflix or Hulu, but Disney Plus is looking to shake up the game even more. Although the Disney Plus app compares to the layout and function of the Netflix app, there are lots of questions that arise surrounding phone streaming and how the best TV streaming sites function on tablets and smartphones
The service has an obvious appeal to Disney fanatics or those with young children and Disney already has an established base of movies and TV shows to bring to Disney Plus exclusively. What’s more, huge franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic are also owned by Disney, meaning there’s even more going for the streaming service in appealing to viewers of all ages. You might be wondering, how much data will Disney Plus app use? How many devices can I log into at once from my Disney Plus account? Is there a limit to how much I can download on the Disney Plus app? We’ve got all the answers you need, right here.
Where can you download the Disney Plus app?
The Disney Plus app can be downloaded on the Apple app store and the Google Play store for free. You can run the app on smartphones and tablets alike, and regardless of whether or not you have an Apple or Android device, you’ll have the same app formatting either way. You can access the app on Samsung and LG smart TVs too, and Disney has also announced a deal with Amazon to feature the Disney Plus app on Fire TV products. You’ll need a Disney Plus account to log in and get streaming, though.
How do you sign up for the Disney Plus app?
If you’ve not already subscribed to Disney Plus, you can sign up to Disney Plus using the app. In the US, Disney Plus is $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year (which comes out at $5.83 a month). That’s a little less than Netflix, which starts off at an $8.99 subscription. However, this Netflix subscription only gets you access to their titles in standard definition. Unlike Netflix (where you need to spend an extra $5 per month to upgrade from 1080p to 4K), Disney Plus includes Ultra HD streaming and 4 simultaneous streams at its standard introductory price.
There’s also a bundle available. People in the US can get Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99. (Yep, Disney owns both of those too.) That’s a fantastic package to cover all bases. It's also very good for families, as you get the live sporting events and sport documentaries at ESPN+, Hulu’s award-winning selection of TV shows and movies (these will now have a more adult focus), as well as all the entertainment you could ever need from Disney+.
Can you use the Disney Plus app on multiple devices?
Netflix users will know that the amount of devices your account can be logged into increases with the type of membership you buy. However, it’s most basic plan limits the screens you can watch on at the same time to one. This can be frustrating for those who share their login details with friends and family or have multiple devices logged in to one account.
Things are better over on the Disney Plus app, though, as a standard plan will give you access to streaming on up to 10 mobile and tablet devices, simultaneously. Perfect for families of different ages and interests.
What can you download with the Disney Plus app?
Netflix app users will know that only some of their titles can be downloaded and watched on the mobile app. However, the Disney Plus app lets you download any of its available titles to watch on the go from a phone or tablet.
If you’re unsure about what content is available on the Disney Plus app, there’s everything you expect from Disney, as well as all the separate properties that Disney owns, including Marvel, Fox, Star Wars and Pixar. Most Disney-owned content currently on other services is being taken down and will soon only be available on Disney Plus. Disney is planning to launch dozens more titles in 2020, some of which are featured in this teaser.
To name a few, you can expect to see these titles rolling out to the Disney Plus app in 2020:
- The Mandalorian Season 2
- WandaVision
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7
- Lizzie McGuire
- Muppets Now
- The Phineas & Ferb Movie: Candace Against the Universe
- Diary of a Future President
- Short Circuit: Experimental Films
- Star Girl
- Penguins
There’s a whole host of new live action Marvel TV shows on offer soon too, including a Hawkeye and a Loki series. Marvel characters that we’ve not seen on screen before will also be getting their own shows, including Moon Knight, She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel.
In terms of movies, Disney is continuing with its series of remakes this year. Among the movie projects which are in the works is a live action remake of Lady and the Tramp and Mulan. It’s not clear whether they will go to theaters first and then Disney Plus, or whether they’ll hit both at the same time.
But let’s not forget, this isn’t just about new content. There’s a huge back catalogue of TV shows and movies on Disney Plus. From old Disney classics like Lion King and your favorite Pixar films, like Toy Story, through to all the Avengers movies, including Avengers Endgame and Captain Marvel. That's not forgetting every single episode of The Simpsons thanks to Disney’s deal with Fox. That’s a whopping 672 episodes.
The app also offers support for closed captioning, descriptive audio and navigation assistance to help subscribers with disabilities.
How much data does the Disney Plus app use?
Everyone loves being able to stream their favorite movies on the go, but it’s not worth the hefty phone bill that comes with exceeding the monthly data cap that can come from even the best cell phone providers. The best way to limit data usage on your Disney Plus app is to connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible, and try to download shows and movies when you’re at home as opposed to streaming using the data from your plan.
Disney Plus hasn’t yet released any information regarding the specific amount of data needed to stream its shows, but this is fairly universal across streaming apps. Regarding data usage for its streaming service, Netflix has said that “watching TV shows or movies on Netflix uses about 1 GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3 GB per hour for each stream of HD video. Downloading and streaming consume a similar amount of data.”
It’s reasonable to assume that Disney Plus will use the same amount, although with higher quality streaming as standard you may find that it uses more data that some of Netflix’s cheaper plans. If you want to save on data and are willing to sacrifice the 4K experience, we suggest you stream in lower resolutions. It’s also smart for parents to be wary when letting kids stream on-the-go, as you might end up paying more than you’d like to keep little ones happy on journeys.
How much can I download on the Disney Plus app?
The Disney Plus app will let you download as many shows and movies as your device can handle, so this depends on the device you own. The best smartphones will come with plenty of available storage, but a significant portion of this may be taken up by other apps or files such as photos and videos.
Videos will eat up your storage like no other, and sites such as Hulu and Netflix limit the amount of downloads you can have at any one time to 25 and 100, respectively. However, the Disney Plus app has no such restrictions and will let you download as many movies and shows as your smartphone or tablet can fit. Perfect for journeys or long stints without Wi-Fi. These downloads expire over time if you don’t use the Disney Plus app, to prevent it from taking up valuable phone storage. If you don’t want to lose them once you’ve downloaded movies and shows to binge-watch, just log into your Disney Plus app at least once every month.
How much battery does the Disney Plus app use?
We’ve seen a few complaints that the Disney Plus app drains phone and tablet batteries, which doesn’t come as a surprise. Streaming videos in high resolution, especially with your brightness turned up, is a surefire way to zap the life out of your device (at least, until you charge it again). This is unavoidable whilst you’re streaming or downloading, but what you don’t want is for the app to be leaking battery whilst it’s running in the background. Make sure the app is properly closed when you’re done with it, or manually go into your settings and stop the app from running in the background for a more permanent fix.
