By Staff Reports
It’s a whole new world as Disney officially launched its Disney+ service on Tuesday. Already, the service has surpassed more than 10 million sign-ups with plans to enroll 60 million to 90 million subscribers by the end of 2024.
A photo from "The Mandalorian," a new Star Wars show on Disney plus
At $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, Disney+ is cheaper than competitors like Netflix, which charges $12.99 a month and doesn’t have the extensive library that the Disney behemoth has. From early classics like Dumbo and Snow White to blockbusters like the Avengers series and STAR WARS, Disney also has every live action, animation, and title from Marvel, Pixar, and National Geographic.
As for whether it’s worth the price, SOAR students say overwhelming yes.
“I need it,” said sophomore Arianna Piatt, who explains that she was raised a DIsney baby and that it’s a part of life.
Fellow sophomore Jakeline Guerra said having the service is extremely beneficial because it has every Disney film one can imagine. She’s already watched the original 1955 “Lady and the Tramp,” in preparation for the live action film starring Tessa Thompson as Lady and Justin Therouz as Tramp. The 2019 film was released this week.
“It’s fun to have. If there is a specific class you want to watch its there,” Guerra said.
Like Guerra, junior Joy Gendy said the availability of Disney films makes the streaming service invaluable. It also helps that many of the films are reminders of their childhood.
“Part of me wanted to be Ariel (from the “The Little Mermaid”) so I was always trying to be her and she really helped form who I am today,” Gendy said.
Early shows like “Boy Meets World” and “Lizzie McGuire” are racking up views and reminding 90s kids of their own childhood. The first show originally began on the Disney Channel in 1993 and followed Cory, Topanga, Shawn, and Mr. Feeny as they navigated life through middle school and into college. The latter show starred a teenage Hillary Duff as a teenager whose inner thoughts are communicated through an animated version of herself. The show was also a Disney Channel class, airing from 2001-2004 and included a feature film.
Not all are happy with the service. Some describe it as "corporate greed.” One student, who preferred to remain anonymous, commented, "It's like they're trying to sell us back our childhood memories and then pocket the money."
He continued, "It really seems like they're pulling a checkmate, exploiting the seeds of nostalgia they planted long ago, reaping a harvest."
Senior Corey Rankins agrees, adding “Why pay for those same shows when you can get them on Kodi for free?”
Whether you feel this way or not, others have been worried about the service itself. The streaming was halted early on launch day by a series of error screens. Most people who attempted to use the service were unable to connect for about a day. Although, the error seems to be fixed now, it didn't reflect well on the service.
If you are a Verizon customer with unlimited data you can try out the service for free for a year. Just make sure to cancel if you don’t want to pay when your free trial is over.
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