Yep, Disney is increasing Disney Plus prices in Australia
First it announces the addition of ESPN at no additional cost, then jacks up prices a week later. Mickey Mouse is squeezing you dry.
Last week Disney announced it was launching ESPN as part of a Disney Plus subscription. I asked in the headline of that piece if that would mean another price increase.
The answer, friends, is yes.
Disney has confirmed that from tomorrow, 19 Feb, new subscribers to Disney Plus in Australia and New Zealand are going to be facing a substantial price increase.
New Subscriptions:
From 19 February 2025, the price for new subscriptions to Disney+ Standard will change from:
- $13.99/month to $15.99/month and from $139.99/year to $159.99/year for Australia residents.
- $14.99/month to $16.99/month and from $149.99/year to $169.99/year for New Zealand residents.
From 19 February 2025, the price for new subscriptions to Disney+ Premium will change from:
- $17.99/month to $20.99/month and from $179.99/year to $209.99/year for Australia residents.
- $18.99/month to $21.99/month and from $189.99/year to $219.99/year for New Zealand residents.
If you are an existing customer, you have a small amount of breathing room, with Disney stating that the increase will take effect from 26 March 2025 for existing customers.
Hit the unsubscribe button
I've paid for an annual Disney Plus subscription since the platform launched, which means I don't need to worry about a price increase until November.
But when it comes time to renew, my membership is getting cancelled.
In its most recent earnings report, Disney announced its revenue from Disney Plus increased 9% to $6.07 billion, which gave the service its second successive profitable quarter.
Over that quarter the service lost 700,000 subscribers, due in no small part to the price increase in the US.
All the while, it's justifying this by churning out content that may or may not be worth watching, adding in services like ESPN that you may or may not even want, and removing content you may be interested in.
I argued in last week's newsletter that all the major streaming services have turned against their customers, and this is yet another example. They will continue to take advantage of the fact their services are convenient to milk you for what you're worth.
The only way to show them they have gone to far is with your wallet.
Unsubscribe. Spend your money on physical media you can watch anytime, without fear it will be removed from the service.
Consider showing your support with a donation.
