One of the best things about Disney+ is the treasure trove of content that consumers can pick from. However, sometimes, consumers might not want to have to choose or pick their specific favorite show or movie.
Enter Streams.
Today, Disney+ will begin rolling out four new Streams, adding to a collection of lean-back viewing experiences after launching with ABC News and Disney+ Playtime earlier this month.
Here’s everything you need to know:
What are Streams on Disney+?
This new feature bolsters the Disney+ offering with a live feed from ABC News and carefully curated, continuous programming Streams based on seasonality or interest that subscribers can enjoy without having to select title by title.
What are the four additional Streams launching today?
A collection of seasonally-themed content from across the Disney+ catalog begins with Hallowstream for Halloween. Hits & Heroes, delivers a compilation of action-packed stories from marquee brands and franchises, including Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars. Throwbacks, is a destination for always-on nostalgic pop culture content. Real Life, offers a lineup of traditional documentaries, biopics, and true stories. These four Streams will initially roll out to Premium subscribers at launch.
Which Streams launched earlier this month?
All Disney+ subscribers have access to ABC News, featuring live newscasts, breaking news, live events, and in-depth special reports through their 24/7 livestream, including coverage of the 2024 election and the vice presidential candidates on October 1. Additionally, all subscribers can watch Disney+ Playtime, inclusive of all-time favorites for our younger viewers available on Disney+ like Bluey, Sofia the First, The Lion Guard, Puppy Dog Pals, and Minnie’s Bow-Toons.
Will Streams be offered outside of the U.S.?
At launch, Streams will only be available in the U.S.
Will Streams reflect parental controls and content ratings?
ABC News is not rated and at launch will require a profile’s content rating settings to be set to TV-MA. At launch, Disney+ Playtime will only feature programming with a highest content rating of TV-G. Content ratings for the other curated Streams will vary depending on the content. At launch, Streams will not be available in Junior Mode.
What happens if a curated Stream delivers content with multiple content ratings? Will parental controls be respected?
For curated Streams, content ratings are based on each individual program, not the overall Stream. If a profile’s content rating setting is below that in playback, it will cause playback to stop and will inform the user that the program is unavailable.
Does Disney see Streams as a significant driver to increasing engagement?
The Disney+ Playtime and ABC News streams have driven over 10 million hours streamed from subscribers in the U.S., and we’re seeing early signs of overall engagement lift amongst subscribers who watch them. Streams is another way Disney+ is providing subscribers with more choice, new options for endless entertainment and an opportunity for subscribers to discover something new, or relive old favorites, based on seasonality and interest. It’s just one of many ways Disney+ is looking to better serve consumers with the content they want most.