The Magic of Disney +

     

    This past year, the increasingly popular streaming platform Disney+ is making strides as it has garnered over 50 million subscribers in just over five months. In addition, many often wonder how Disney's newest and most ambitious project can compete with streaming giant Netflix. Below I will be breaking down a brief summary of the streaming technology's successful development followed by an analysis of what truly sets it apart. 

The Magical Idea: 

In April of 2019, the Walt Disney Company first announced its plan to create a streaming platform at its annual investor conference. The app was projected to include content from Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel as well as an expected 25 exclusive series and 10 original films. Disney CEO at the time Bob Iger was preparing the release of Disney+ to be one of his quintessential career accomplishments and anticipated a streaming site that could more easily condense the company's nostalgic content onto a single accessible platform. 

December 2020 Release: 

    Immediately after its launch, Disney+ was an instant hit, drawing in millions of viewers to its exclusive series such as "The Mandalorian" and "High School Musical: the Musical the Series". In fact, within the first 24 hours of release, the platform had attracted over 10 million subscribers. Diehard Disney aficionados (such as myself!) were enthralled by how many of their most beloved animated classics were available under one subscription, rather than having to poke around Netflix or Amazon Prime. The pricing of Disney's new innovation was also comparably more affordable than its Netflix counterpart at the get-go, clocking in at $6.99/month as opposed to $15.99/month, making it highly desirable for media consumers.  

     On February 25, 2020, Bob Iger stepped down as the company's CEO for 15 years, and Bob Chapek stepped up as his successor. According to Chapek, the success of Disney+ has inspired the Walt Disney Company "to be even more ambitious (and) significantly increase our investment in high-quality content,".  However, what Chapek likely could not have foreseen was the disproportionally greater investment value Disney+ would come to hold in future months despite global turmoil. 

Pandemic Convenience:

    On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and soon after, the outbreak would come to affect all segments of the human population in both social and economic respects. For those of us that remained lucky enough to social distance from the comfort of our homes, a boredom crisis began to hit as movie theaters, concerts, restaurants, schools, businesses, and the like were all forced to close their doors to prevent the spread of disease. Specifically, as s a result of the 2020 pandemic taking a significant hit to the movie theater industry which lost nearly $32 billion in profits during 2020, this occurrence set the stage for streaming giants such as Netflix and Disney+ to take over. 

    The unique Disney+ premium feature created a convenient, pandemic-friendly, movie viewing experience that allowed viewers to watch large cinematic releases from the comfort of their homes. The trial run of Disney+ Premium began with the live-action release of "Mulan" on March 27th, 2020, and asked for an extra $30 fee for viewing. While "Mulan" was the first big-budget Disney film to be streamed for an additional price, the feature proved to be quite effective in satisfying the desires of depressed would-be moviegoers during a stressful pandemic-centered life. In essence, while crowded movie theaters were on the decline during 2020, Disney+ was already poised to take center stage. 

Impact: 

    Today, Disney+ contains over 7,500 television episodes as well as 500 feature films with new releases dropping weekly, having greatly expanded content since its 2019 release. However, the young streaming site is still able to effectively compete with streaming giant Netflix as a result of Disney's emphasis on quality over quantity. While Netflix is infamous for its seemingly endless reel of binge-worthy content, Disney's strategic emphasis on nostalgia and quality storytelling is what has continually set it apart. 

    As for the future of Disney+? Just a few new shows and movies scheduled for its summer 2021 lineup that have me on the edge of my seat include the highly anticipated Marvel series "Loki", the second season of "High School Musical: The Musical The Series", a series of independent short films called "Sparkshorts", and Italian-inspired Pixar feature "Luca". Certainly, with streaming as the newest tool in its arsenal, the Walt Disney Company will continue to "entertain, inform, and inspire" people with the power of unparalleled storytelling for generations to come.