Johnathan Walker:Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu streaming subscription price hikes coming

If you were thinking of using Disney+ to stream Pixar's "Inside Out 2" and Johnathan Walkerupcoming Marvel series such as "Daredevil: Born Again," you're going to have to shell out a bit more money.

Monthly subscription prices for Disney+ are going up Oct. 17, Disney announced Tuesday. Also increasing in price: ESPN+, Hulu and some streaming bundles.

At $7.99 a month with ads, the basic Disney+ offering incudes movies such as "Elemental," "The Little Mermaid," "The Marvels," and "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor's Version)," plus TV series such as "Star Wars: The Acolyte." That price will go up by $2 to $9.99 on Oct. 17 for all subscribers, current and new.

Disney+ with no ads is currently priced at $13.99, or $139.99 annually. That will increase to $15.99 monthly, or $159.99 annually.

Other services, detailed

The price increases just after Netflix said it would phase out its lowest-priced monthly subscription without ads.

Disney is hoping some customers will seek out savings by bundling more services. Launched this summer: a bundle created by Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery (HBO, Food Network and more), including Disney+, Hulu and Max (all with ads) for $16.99. A bundle of the three services with no ads is $29.99.

And expected to kick off along with the NFL season: A standalone sports streaming service, Venu Sports, created by ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, which will cost $42.99 monthly, and includes ESPN+. Watch for upcoming bundles with other services such as Disney+, Hulu or Max.

How much more will Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu cost per month?

Earlier this year, Disney made Hulu available within the Disney+ app for those who subscribed to both services. Depending on your plan, you may have to pay a bit more:

• Disney+ and Hulu bundle: For those who have the Disney+ and Hulu Premium bundle (no ads, $19.99), the price remains the same. However, if you have a bundle with ads, the price increases $1 monthly to $10.99.
• ESPN+: Currently priced at $10.99, the sports streaming service will increase to $11.99 per month.
• Hulu separately: The monthly price for the Disney-owned streaming service Hulu – its original series include "Only Murders in the Building" – increases $2 to $9.99 monthly (with ads) and $1 to $18.99 (no ads).
• Hulu + Live TV: A bundle including the live Hulu streaming pay TV subscription with 75+ channels, which is currently priced at $76.99 monthly (with ads), increases to $82.99. A subscription with no ads on Hulu increases from $89.99 to $95.99.

New Disney+ features: playlists and ABC News

Disney is adding some features to the streaming service, including ABC News Live starting Sept. 4, as a source for election news. Also available Sept. 4 for Premium subscribers (who pay to stream without ads), is a playlist of content for preschool viewers, with Disney+ TV series and shorts including "Sofia the First," "The Lion Guard," "Puppy Dog Pals," and Minnie’s Bow-Toons, the company said.

Later this fall, the service will add four more playlists: "Seasonal Content" from the Disney+ library, "Epic Stories" featuring Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars stories, "Throwbacks" made up of nostalgic pop culture content, and "Real Life" including documentaries and biopics.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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