“Possible symptoms of Disney+ include Bluey dependency, Marvel fatigue, and Iger-induced wallet shrinkage.”

Disney (DIS -0.9%) decided yesterday was the perfect day to let subscribers know Mickey needs a bigger cut. Starting Oct. 21, the ad-supported Disney+ plan jumps $2 to $11.99/month, and the no-ads Premium plan balloons $3 to $18.99/month (or $189.99 if you hate yourself enough to pay yearly).

As for bundles? Same pain. The Disney+/Hulu ad-supported duo climbs $2 to $12.99, and the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN bundles tack on an extra $3. Basically, every package you thought was a deal now costs more than your actual cable bill from 2010 (the one you swore you escaped). For context, Disney+ launched in 2019 at $6.99/month. Fast forward five years and you’re staring at an 171% increase. Say it with me now: “they can’t keep getting away with this.”

And it’s not happening in a vacuum. Disney’s been juggling content controversies too. After yanking Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air that seemed to divide our country at levels not seen since the Civil War, The Mouse House then got roasted like Bud Light’s marketing team after the Dylan Mulvaney ad fiasco. They reversed course a week later, but not before some fans rage-canceled their subs in solidarity. (Netflix is somewhere laughing in “password crackdown” language.)

(Source: Hollywood Reporter)

Disney’s defense is the same as always: content costs money. And to be fair, based on their last earnings, they’re spending like drunken sailors on shore leave. ESPN just rolled out a $29.99/month direct-to-consumer service boasting 47,000+ live events. 

On top of that, Disney’s hurling billions into original shows, Marvel reboots, and whatever Star Wars spin-off Bob Iger dreams up after too much pizza. CGI armies and de-aged actors don’t come cheap… and neither did that Snow White remake, which reportedly flamed close to $330 million between production and marketing.

Subscribers threatening to quit? Please. Disney knows your toddler isn’t giving up Bluey or Spidey and His Amazing Friends, and neither are you.

At this point, the only real question is: will Disney+ hit $30/month before a single-day Disney World ticket breaks $300? Smart money’s on Iger finding a way to make both happen.

At the time of publishing this article, Stocks.News holds positions in Disney as mentioned in the article.