There is an update. This is no longer rumor. It has been confirmed. It will come later this year to our market and by the end of the year in other markets.
Kareem Daniel, Chairman Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution has said:
“Expanding access to Disney+ to a broader audience at a lower price point is a win for everyone — consumers, advertisers, and our storytellers. More consumers will be able to access our amazing content. Advertisers will be able to reach a wider audience, and our storytellers will be able to share their incredible work with more fans and families.”
They plan on giving out more information at the Upfront presentation (where they show ad opportunities) in May because according to Disney’s Head of Ad Sales, Rita Ferro:
“advertisers have been clamoring for the opportunity.”
And Disney wants to make more money and offer cheaper options thinking it will get them more subscribers.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)
ATTENTION: THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS A RUMOR. PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING STORY WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
With Disney continuing to rely on the success of their streaming division they appear to be doing whatever they can to increase their subscriber growth to keep their stockholders happy, even if that means artificially inflating the numbers with technicalities.
The current estimated number of subscribers is around 130 Million and the company is expected to reach 230 Million by 2024. That is quite the mountain to climb, so you know they’ll pull out all the tricks. Like adding Disney Plus subscriptions to your Hulu+ Live TV automatically charging extra, or offering the service for dirt cheap in overseas countries.
Initially when Disney Plus was being pitched to fans it was believed that it would be ad-free. But a recent report suggests that the company is considering a lower cost version of the service that will run advertisements.
According to the report Disney is planning a version that will cost $4.99 versus the current $7.99. Perhaps they should call this version of the service “Disney Minus” since it will be taking away from your viewing experience.
Other services like Hulu, Paramount Plus and HBO Max offer lower cost versions with advertisements. Services like Tubi are FREE with advertisements. 
Similar to how The Disney Channel was originally a Premium Channel like HBO or SHOWTIME, they eventually brought in advertisements because the cable subscription alone wasn’t enough, so they opted for making space for ads. We have come to the age where direct-to-consumer streaming is replacing the old cable system.
But how long will this growth last? What happens when they hit the ceiling of people willing to subscribe? Services like Paramount+ and Peacock are struggling to maintain their current subscriber count, what happens when Disney Plus bottoms out? Only time will tell.
Would you be willing to watch advertisements to save $2 a month?
Source: MacRumors
Pirates & Princesses (PNP) is an independent, opinionated fan-powered news blog that covers Disney and Universal Theme Parks, Themed Entertainment and related Pop Culture from a consumer's point of view. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of PNP, its editors, affiliates, sponsors or advertisers. PNP is an unofficial news source and has no connection to The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal or any other company that we may cover.