On 24 March Disney+ will be launching in the UK (and other European countries), bringing Disney, Marvel, Pixar and more to UK homes.
The service is going to cost £5.99 a month, although you may get it cheaper if you take the offer for a 1-year subscription. That’s available asa pre-order until 23 March costing £49.99, rather than the normal £59.99, working out as £4.17 a month.
Disney+ - £7.99/m or £79.90/yr
If you’re an O2 customer, you might also be able to get access to Disney+ throughan exclusive dealoffering 6-months' access to O2 monthly customers - which is also worth investigating.
But beyond having a subscription to the service, you’ll also want to get it on your TV and there are a number of ways to do that.
How to access and watch Disney+
Disney+ is accessible from a desktop web browser and from wide range of mobile devices, desktop browsers, game consoles, set-top boxes, and smart TVs. Be sure you’re running the latest software on any of the following devices and then install the Disney+ app (if it’s not already there).
But if you don’t have access to a native app on your TV - and don’t currently have any way to get it there - then you have a couple of options for devices to access the service.
Disney+ on Sky and Now TV
It has been confirmed that Sky and Now TV will be supporting Disney+, so if you have either of those services and the devices that go with them, you will be able to use that hardware already connected to your TV. We suspect that you’ll then just be able to sign-in to the service on your TV and be done with it.
The cheapest device for Disney+ streaming
If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to get Disney+ on your TV then there are few better options than Roku Express. This is the entry-level device for Roku and it only supports 1080p content - but if you have a smaller TV then there’s no harm in using the Roku Express. You also get a lot for your money with access to Apple TV+, Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube and a whole load more services.
Roku Express HD
The Roku Express is an HD streaming device that turns any TV into an internet-ready smart TV. The package comes with an HDMI cord, a remote control, and a USB power cable.
The alternative option would be the Fire TV Stick. This is Amazon’s TV option and offers a similar experience to the Roku. It’s great value for money, offers access to loads of TV services including Disney+ and gets regular discounts. While you can Cast Disney+ to a Chromecast, we prefer the Fire TV or Roku approach because you have a physical remote.
Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa voice remote
The device for the best Disney+ streaming quality
While those two options above give you a great way to get Disney+ on your TV cheaply, they don’t offer the best quality that the service offers. You can get 4K HDR streaming from Disney+, so one of the step-up devices below might be worth considering - if you have a 4K HDR TV that doesn’t already have access to the Disney+ app.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K supports 4K HDR, but also offers Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, so it’s a great selection of format support to easily add to your TV. As we said above, it offers a full range of services - including others that have Dolby Vision and Atmos content.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2018)
If you don’t have a Dolby Vision compatible TV, then you don’t need to worry about having a streamer that supports Dolby Vision. Yes, it’s perfectly fine to use the Fire TV Stick 4K, but you might consider the Roku Premiere or the Roku Streaming Stick+ instead.
Roku Streaming Stick+
The predecessor to the Streaming Stick 4K, it’s a good performer, but slower and lacks Dolby Vision compared to its replacement.
How to get Disney+ for free in the US
Verizon is offering a free year of Disney+ with its Verizon Unlimited and Fios Home Internet plans. It has five Unlimited wireless plans, ranging from $35 per line (minimum four lines) to $90 for a single line. Verizon also has three Fios Home Internet plans, ranging from $40 to $80.
Existing Verizon Unlimited subscribers
Existing Verizon customers who don’t have an Unlimited plan
If you’re not a Verizon or Fios customer but would like to get Disney+
