Like everything else these days, streaming services are getting more expensive. And that includes Disney+. However, I don’t want to cancel Disney+ permanently, so I’ve decided to squeeze more value out of it instead.
The media business is shifting away from movie theaters and network television to streaming services. And that means many new movies and TV shows you can and should be watching are available on streaming services. Either exclusively or very soon after release elsewhere.
To squeeze the most value out of streaming services, you must make the most of these opportunities to watch content quickly. So, I will keep an eye on Disney+ release schedules and be sure to watch new and exclusive content as soon as it appears. This isn’t good news for cinemas, but it is great news for my bank balance.
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Cancel and Resubscribe Often
Another option I have occasionally taken advantage of is the ability to cancel and resubscribe to Disney+ at will. One of the big differences between cable companies and streaming services is the length of the required contract. You can sign up for a streaming service a month at a time, as while canceling takes a few minutes, it’s easy enough.
While this could be seen as a life hack, it’s a sensible way of keeping the costs of streaming down. The key is to keep an eye on the release schedules for your chosen streaming service and sign up when there’s enough new content to watch. Then you have a whole month to binge on that content before canceling.
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Watch Something Every Day
Probably the most obvious way to make the most of an active Disney+ subscription is to watch something every day. That may sound obvious, but if you think about how often (or seldom) you watch Disney+, you may be surprised. It’s easy to go a whole week without even loading it up unless you make a concerted effort.
This is especially true if you subscribe to multiple streaming services at once, as you’re unlikely to watch all of them every day. This ties into the suggestion to subscribe for only a month at a time rather than thinking of a Disney+ subscription as a subscription for life. Make the most of your month, and then move on to another option.
A Disney+ feature that many people will ignore, or may not even be aware of, are the Extras. Anyone old enough to remember the DVD era will be well aware of what these are, but the streaming generation may not be as familiar.
Basically, Extras are commentaries, deleted scenes, and even different versions of movies with extra elements. This can include a singalong version (as you’ll see with Frozen), and a version filled with fun facts (as you’ll see on the listing for Jungle Cruise).
Not all Disney+ content features Extras, but if one does, you’ll see an Extras option between Suggested and Details.
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Create Multiple Profiles to Use
Disney+ allows you to create seven profiles in total; the initial one plus six additional ones. And to make the most of your Disney+ subscription, you should use all seven. The biggest reason for doing this is that it helps you find and watch shows faster, which will, in turn, help you squeeze more value out of your streaming subscription.
Now, I organize my streaming profiles to find shows faster. However, the basics are that each profile can be assigned to a specific niche (or even language or maturity rating). And this will save you from endless scrolling as you desperately search for something to watch.
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Download Content to Watch Offline
While most of us have access to an internet connection these days, if that isn’t the case, you should take advantage of the ability to download Disney+ content to watch offline.
This will enable you to carry on watching Disney+ content when you cannot connect to the internet for any reason. This prevents you from wasting days when you’re paying for the privilege but not getting to watch anything.
The obvious example is when you go on vacation, as downloading Disney+ content ahead of a break means you can watch it on the plane and in the hotel, regardless of the availability (or consistency of the internet connection).
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Explore Beyond Your Usual Interests
While we all have our own tastes in movies and TV shows (as well as music and books), to truly make the most of Disney+, you should explore beyond your usual interests. This is another reason to delete your streaming watchlists and pick content on the fly.
Disney+ has a handful of big properties, including Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar. But even if you’re mainly interested in just one or two of these, and that’s the reason you signed up for a subscription, seek to push your boundaries and explore further.
The beauty of streaming services is that there’s no negative side to giving a show a go. So, watch the first episode of something you wouldn’t normally watch to see if you like it. If you do, carry on; if you don’t, just try something else.
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Binge Over Holidays/Special Events
While I’m not a big fan of binge-watching, personally, doing it over holidays or special occasions makes sense if you want to squeeze value out of your streaming subscription.
For example, you can spend the build-up to Christmas watching endless Holiday-themed movies. Or spend the days on either side of May 4th every year watching the Star Wars movies out of order. Essentially, you should look for reasons to binge on specific movies or TV shows as a way of squeezing more value out of your subscription.
It’s possible that even after doing all of these things, you still think Disney+ is an expensive indulgence you can live without. Which is absolutely fine. However, you owe it to yourself to at least try and make Disney+ work for you.
All streaming services are, essentially, a luxury that you can do without. And most (if not all) of these ways to squeeze more value from a subscription apply to the likes of Netflix, Apple TV+, and others.
