Now that ESPN+ is $9.99, many people may be curious how to get the Disney Bundle. For just $4 more per month, the content available in the bundle makes it more logical for subscribers.
Not everyone would use each of the services included. However, the bundle used to be $7 more per month. That does not make much sense, especially if you are devoted solely to sports, not movies and TV shows. Yet, the price difference between ESPN+ and the Disney Bundle is now just $4 per month.
That $4 provides access to Hulu and Disney+, which feature TV shows, documentaries, movies and other more ‘traditional’ forms of entertainment.
Interestingly, there are people that believe the jump in price for ESPN+ is a ploy to push more subscribers on to the Disney Bundle. To be fair, ESPN+’s content does not see any major jumps. The Dutch Eredivisie and the English Football League had rights renewed with ESPN+ in the last month. However, ESPN+ was already the home of these leagues for American viewers.
At the same time, the Disney Bundle, which does include ESPN+, does not see any price increase. So, here is how you can get the bundle to open up new programs while also retaining ESPN+.
How to get the Disney Bundle
If you do not have ESPN+ already, then subscribing to the bundle is fairly straightforward. The subscription is $13.99 per month, and that provides access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu. As of now, those services cost $7.99, $9.99 and $6.99 each per month, respectively. In total, that is just under $25 per month. With the Disney Bundle for $13.99 per month, you save $11 per month when you get the Disney Bundle.
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Now, you may be thinking that you do not need those other options. However, perhaps your family does have interest in the content on Hulu or Disney+. With the Disney Bundle, one $13.99 subscription per month allows four devices to use the bundle simultaneously.
The base fee for the Disney Bundle is $13.99. There is also a price plan that has the ad-free version of Hulu. This is $19.99 per month, which matches the individual $6 increase between Hulu and Hulu without ads.
If you already have ESPN+, here’s how to upgrade your account to the Disney Bundle.
Available content
As stated, the plethora of content you would have access to is perhaps not for everybody. Some people dedicate their entertainment to sports only. Regardless, the Disney Bundle is a small jump in price from ESPN+ on its own. Effectively, you gain access to both Hulu and Disney+ for half of what those services cost individually.
Disney+ lives up to its name. With new series, movies and documentaries debuting regularly, Disney+ is perfect for families. Plus, it has Star Wars, the Marvel universe and plenty of other content outside of its stereotypical ‘children’s’ content.
Similarly, Hulu carries a wide variety of content that differs in genre and its target audiences. Hulu produces its own content, such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Run or Little Flies Everywhere. Plus, Hulu allows people to watch shows on FX the day after their air live. Therefore, if you are keeping an eye out for the upcoming soccer documentary Welcome to Wrexham, Hulu will have the show on the Thursday after each episode airs Wednesday night.
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- Price: $35/mo. for Sling Blue
- Watch Premier League, World Cup & MLS
Many Sports & ESPN Originals
- Price: $9.99/mo. (or get ESPN+, Hulu & Disney+ for $13.99/mo.)
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2,000+ soccer games per year
- Price: $4.99/mo
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- Starting price: $4.99/mo. for Peacock Premium
- Watch 175 exclusive EPL games per season
110+ channels, live & on-demand
- Price: $59.95/mo. for Plus Package
- Includes FOX, FS1, ESPN, TUDN & more
JP
September 1, 2022 at 3:29 pm
Wasn’t sure where else to post this, kind of related maybe.
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Tuesday night while trying to check in on a US Open match (tennis) via ESPN3 on my Apple TV it gave me the not authorized need to authenticate with a provider message. I figured it just logged me out after so long (never log out) so tried authenticating but the message comes back saying that I need a package that includes ESPN in order to watch. I tried on a browser and it automatically detected my connection and gave me ESPN3 access as usual, so just an issue with the apps.
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Went back and forth with ESPN and Verizon Wednesday morning after trying to trouble shoot on my own (reboot router, delete and reinstall app, forget network and rejoin etc) but no one could offer a solution. By the way, same issue on my Fire Stick so not just an Apple device issue.
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Last night on a whim I decided to click on the local MLS match just to see what happened, AND I WASN’T BLACKED OUT!
Just tried the replay of the same match on my browser after logging in to my ESPN+ account and was still blacked out there but the replay available on the Apple and Fire.
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Now, think this is a blessing in disguise if the blackout bug remains for NHL season, I can do without ESPN3 on my TV’s if that’s the trade off!!
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Still no idea what happened, very strange.
Mercator
September 1, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Very interesting JP. I have a similar situation but its between the ESPN+ and Hulu apps (on the same devices). ESPN+ app will blackout local games, but I can access ESPN3 content without a cable login. On Hulu, nothing is blacked out but I cannot access ESPN3. Its the same for all the Apple TV’s in my house AND I haven’t been blacked out when travelling out of state (on my ATV and on a relatives). Even more bizarre, on my iPad (at my house on same network as ATVs) the Hulu app does not get me around the blackouts. I thought it was deliberate by ESPN since Hulu hasn’t blacked anything out for me ever since they integrated the ESPN+ content, but now sounds like its just a magical glitch that actually works for the benefit of the viewer.
KB
August 29, 2022 at 1:10 pm
So my ESPN+ expires September 2. What day should I switch to the Disney bundle to avoid the price increase for stand alone ESPN+?
Christopher Harris
August 29, 2022 at 1:12 pm
My recommendation would be to do it the day before to ensure that the upgrade to the Disney Bundle goes through successfully.
Hans
August 24, 2022 at 7:53 pm
I presume by Disney DTC you mean the bundle and if there is an interest or a must have of one or two services in the bundle then by all means that deal is one to take. However many are only interested in perhaps ESPN+ and feel that the other two in the bundle may not be worth it, therefore not attractive to some regardless of the price point. I spent $12 for a year’s subscription to Hulu and didn’t like the content and hated the commercials, therefore no interest in any renewal from me.
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Comcast is guaranteed $5.8 bill from the 2019 deal but at present it looks much more because of Hulu’s value. The problem I see that Hulu has, it somehow doesn’t fit into the Disney profile/family add to that its diminishing content once Comcast pulls their star content and all of a sudden it may not be the deciding factor anymore to get the bundle of three streaming services. That is where I am at right now.
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Having enjoyed Add free Paramount+, Netflix and Prime Video I will not go back to any form of a bundle that has commercials and at that point the Disney bundle is definitely not an attractive deal for me. Considering as you said Disney is hemorrhaging money with their streaming services add to that the odd fit of Hulu in to all things Disney, I get the feeling they have a problem that can only be solved by further price increases and I don’t want to be part of it.
dave
August 24, 2022 at 10:17 pm
DTC is Disney’s name for streaming (ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+, Hotstar). For the three-months ended June 2022, Disney reported $3.6 billion profit on $21.5 billion revenue. Broadly:
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* Parks, Experiences, Products: $2.2 billion profit on $7.4 billion revenue
* Linear (ABC, ESPN, etc.): $2.5 billion profit on $7.2 billion revenue
* DTC (streaming): -$1.1 billion loss on $5.1 billion revenue
* Content and Licensing (movies, shows, etc.): break-even on $2.1 billion revenue
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This sentence is re DTC: “The increase in operating loss was due to a higher loss at Disney+, lower operating income at Hulu and, to a lesser extent, a higher loss at ESPN+”
dave
August 24, 2022 at 10:26 pm
In the domestic (US and Canada) market, as of July 2022, Disney DTC report:
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* Disney+: 45 million paid subscribers at ~$6.25 monthly ARPU (~$300 million/mo)
* ESPN+: 23 million paid subscribers at ~$4.50 monthly ARPU (~$100 million/mo)
* Hulu SVOD: 42 million paid subscribers at ~$13 monthly ARPU (~$550 million/mo)
* Hulu Live TV+: 4 million paid subscribers at ~$88 monthly ARPU (~$350 million/mo)
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Hulu Live is not analogous since it has large per-customer incremental licensing expense. But even putting it aside, Hulu brings in more domestic revenue than Disney+ and ESPN+ combined, and Hulu does so with an operating profit rather than loss
dave
August 24, 2022 at 10:51 pm
To your broader point about Hulu’s “fit”, there is an argument that Disney might be more valuable if broken into components
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Parks (assuming no more COVID shutdowns) and Linear are high-margin cash cows that might appeal more to investors seeking high current income (dividends)
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DTC is a long-term play that might eventually be very profitable and might eventually be bankrupt. It might appeal more to growth investors who are comfortable with the gamble
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Within DTC, Hulu is more a cash cow and ESPN+ / Disney+ / Hotstar are more a gamble. Since ESPN+ and Linear are closely linked, as are Disney+ and Content/Licensing, any potential breakup might need a long-term agreement that addresses continued work together
Ra
August 25, 2022 at 6:57 am
ESPN+ fell into the same trap as MU. Thought that R7 and Messi are still top players. ESPN+ failed worse – paid a huge amount for Messi-CR7 league only to see them leaving.
The problem is in the horses they picked.
greg
August 25, 2022 at 8:16 am
Ronaldo was long gone by the time ESPN signed the deal. Not that they didn’t overpay, but Ronaldo wasn’t part of the equation to begin with.
JP
August 24, 2022 at 11:20 am
More price changes coming in October, and more plan options. Not as cut and dry as before.
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Disney+ goes up to 10.99 (from 7.99), but there will be an ad supported tier for 7.99
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Hulu with ads going up to 7.99 (from 6.99), ad free will be 14.99 (from 12.99)
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Disney+, Hulu, and bundle pricing also changes in October. If you don’t care about ads on Disney+ and Hulu, that price will be to 12.99. No ads on Disney+ in the bundle will be 14.99, but that might only be available for existing subscribers to the bundle…unclear.
No ads for Disney+ and Hulu in the bundle will be 19.99.
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No matter how you shake it, they’re making the bundle the way to go even if you only care about any 2 of the 3 services. No brainer if you care abou all 3. Not so for me who only cares about ESPN+ and only 69.99 for the year. Might change next year when it becomes 99.99, but will have to see what the price changes are by then too to be certain.
Ra
August 24, 2022 at 12:07 pm
I already picked my bundle – No Hulu + no disney + no ESPN+. All for $0, and I get more time to do something useful.. 🙂
Hans
August 24, 2022 at 1:13 pm
That is what I call sound and responsible reasoning. I subscribe to the same bundle in Feb 2023.
Mercator
August 24, 2022 at 2:13 pm
Disney knows what they are doing. I get the bundle with my phone plan but would pay the $15 for the bundle anyway. If you have kids Disney+ is basically mandatory. An ad free version for the kids + ESPN for me and Hulu for everyone else is still a great option. Netflix is like $20 now with no sports. HBO Max is $15 with no sports. Neither is fit for children unsupervised. From that perspective $15 for ad free Disney+, ad Hulu and ESPN+ for the adults is a great deal, especially for soccer fans with kids. In terms of essentials, I would say it’s the Disney bundle and Paramount+ (for soccer and local CBS news/events). Peacock is getting close, if they had all the NBC locals and all the EPL games it would be an essential like Paramount+.
Ra
August 24, 2022 at 2:26 pm
I have kids too. Not being brainwashed by Disney is another benefit of the $0 bundle.
Mercator
August 24, 2022 at 2:42 pm
I grew up on Disney stuff and I turned out fine. I would much rather have them watching the Lion King than getting brainwashed by idiots on TikTok and Youtube like most ADULTS today. Disney+ is one of the only apps you can basically delegate to your child and not worry where they will end up. That’s well worth it for the $4 additional over ESPN+, especially when it comes with Hulu which STILL gets you around the MLS blackouts (I owe whoever is responsible for this a beer, it has to be deliberate after a year now).
Hans
August 24, 2022 at 2:43 pm
Trust me the push to the bundle is preemptive as January 2024 is approaching and Hulu basically becomes worthless then when Comcast will move their content from Hulu to Peacock and also have to pay $27.5 billion to Comcast. Hulu is basically being used to make the Bundle of interest. However then $0 bundle becomes very attractive and ESPN+ has none of the sports properties that are of interest to me.
Mercator
August 24, 2022 at 3:04 pm
I’m not sure I follow, I basically am only buying it for Disney+/ESPN+ now, Hulu is of no value to me other than the MLS glitch. It’s still worth it at $15, because ESPN+/Disney+ would be more than $15. What am I losing in 2024? Maybe Comcast will use some of that $27.5 billion to hire an intern to make the PL Channel on demand again.
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A bigger problems would be if they stopped handing out these things for free or reduced prices. I get Peacock free with Xfinity, every major phone plan comes with a free streaming service or two, most major credit cards have huge discounts. I don’t think I have paid list price for any streaming service yet, I swear half of people watching are getting it free or heavily discounted in some way. I would be more bothered if they started rolling this stuff back than the price increases which I really don’t see.
Hans
August 24, 2022 at 7:19 pm
If Disney+ and ESPN+ is of interest to you then by all means this deal is for you. But remember Chapek (Disney CEO) is in for profitability in a hurry, so the small incremental increases that Iger wanted turned out be large and quick increases. Since results of these decisions are in the future, get what you can now.
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Again for me no must see content on ESPN+ anymore nor on Disney+ you can guess from past conversations that I know where to find what I want, like custom edited commercial free TV episodes.
Hans
August 23, 2022 at 11:53 pm
It’s a trap and here is the reason why. Chapek and former CEO Iger are at odds about the price hike. It is Chapek’s decision alone. Iger wanted incremental increases but Chapek wanted profitability over subscriber growth.
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Further the reason why it is a trap is because of what will happen in January 2024 and the price hiking has to get out of the way before that. Comcast agreed to hold its stake in Hulu until January 2024. Then, Comcast can force Disney to buy its 33% of Hulu at a minimum total valuation of $27.5 billion. The price tag could be higher depending on fair market value of Hulu in 2024 as determined by an independent third party.
The future of Hulu is unclear to investors, analysts, media executives and even Disney employees. Hulu’s most important strategic purpose is to support Disney+ subscriptions. It does this by being part of the “Disney bundle.” Hulu is also about to lose a large swath of its popular programming when Comcast removes its content and puts it on Peacock.
Do you see the handwriting on the wall the Disney Bundle will loose value in 2024 and they are trying to lock people into subscribing now by offering the great value of Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu when Hulu becomes in 2024 a ball and chain.
Ra
August 24, 2022 at 11:06 am
I get Disney+ + Hulu for $4. Period. No ESPN+ involved.
I got the Hulu Black Friday special for $1, and at some point I jumped into a promo that added Disney+ for another $2.99.
No way I will be paying $14 for these 2 alone.
Hans
August 24, 2022 at 1:08 pm
Did the same thing got Hulu for $1 per month for a year and started to watch Drop Out and after the commercials kicked in that was it for me. Never added Disney+ because my time is too precious to watch commercials. Alert is being set to cancel Hulu before renewal date.
dave
August 24, 2022 at 3:20 pm
I see no risk whatsoever to entering a month-to-month agreement in August 2022 with an entity that may or may not face challenges in 2024
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A main value of Hulu to Disney DTC is that Hulu is profitable and partially offsets the ocean of red ink at Disney+ and ESPN+. I agree Comcast will likely cash out and pull its content, which may create new challenges for Hulu and Disney DTC
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$27.5 billion is the contractually guaranteed minimum entity value of Hulu; 33% would be ~$9 billion to Comcast. There are riders in the agreement where cash paid to Comcast could be as low as ~$6 billion. It is ~$20 billion less bad for Disney than you are thinking
Hans
August 24, 2022 at 7:54 pm
@dave sorry my reply didn’t appear hear but went to the top.