The era of commercial breaks is officially over. With the emergence of streaming services like Hulu and Netflix, viewers can hop on their couch and watch their favorite shows without ads. However, a new service is on the rise and aims to destroy the competition: Disney Plus. 

Created by Disney, the service has options from Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic, Star Wars and classic Disney movies and tv shows. For only seven dollars per month, the service attracts many who don’t want to pay the Netflix subscription starting at nine dollars per month. 

The service itself is simple to use. At signup, there is a free one week trial, but credit card information is needed in the event that the subscription isn’t canceled. The interface design is similar to Netflix and Amazon Prime, with a wide array of recommended and popular shows popping up and a sidebar with quick options.

Disney Channel shows, from “Boy Meets World” (1993)  to “Sydney to the Max!” (2019) can be found in the service. The service includes almost all of Disney’s original shows with a few exceptions, like “The Proud Family” (2001)  and “Austin and Ally,” (2011). Disney Channel Original Movies are also included, though some fan favorites like “Descendents 3” have not been added yet. 

Other franchises owned by Disney are also present, like Star Wars and Marvel. However, as Disney is still attempting to regain rights to “Spider-Man Homecoming” and some others, these movies are not on the service. Many fans were upset to learn about this, but a majority of the others are included which makes it a win for the price. 

Similar to Netflix Originals and Amazon Prime Originals, Disney Plus also contains content exclusively made for the service. “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” (HSMTMTS) is a popular show that many students are attracted to. Following the HSM trilogy, the show is set at East High School, where the original movie was filmed. The series is about a teacher who is determined to put on a musical version of the movie to honor their affiliation with the franchise. The season is filled with teenage drama, jealousy and romance, and captures viewers’ attention with its engaging plot. “HSMTMTS” is a highlight of Disney Plus and a popular show on the service.

“The show brings back great memories from people of all ages and creates new ones too,” freshman Mary Elena Morales said. “Another amazing part of the show is that the new soundtrack is amazing. The actors and singers they chose for the show are so talented and really fit in with that high school musical style and vibe.”

The service also features the original show “The Mandalorian,” a Star Wars spinoff about a lone fighter making his way away from the New Republic. It creates a sense of nostalgia for the Original Trilogy and the Prequels while moving towards what eventually develops in the Sequel Trilogy.

“The Star Wars community has been so divided recently, and this show brought everyone together,” sophomore Sam Krakower said. “It has a unique but familiar feeling. It’s a western but set in space. It has a feeling of mystery and wonder that Star Wars has been lacking.”

Disney Plus is different from other streaming services in ways that go beyond the price. All of the movies and series on Disney Plus are made or owned by Disney. Additionally, Disney Originals cannot be binge-watched like Netflix. Similar to Disney Channel shows, the episodes are released weekly. The shows that have already been released are available for binge-watching, an aspect that is similar to other services.  

Overall, the service is reminiscent of many other popular streaming services. However, Disney Plus sets itself apart with nostalgic shows and movies. It’s directed more towards families and those with kids, so you might want to keep a Netflix subscription handy for more mature content. Disney Plus is a great way to rewatch your favorite shows and newer ones, but with more kid-friendly content, the service doesn’t necessarily attract all age-demographics.