DISNEY+: Is nostalgia enough to sustain a streaming platform?
- Courtney Hayes
- Nov 13, 2019
- 3 min read
Ask anyone I know and they’ll tell you I’ve been talking about the launch of Disney+ so much that I should be doing promo for them. But I’m not the only one who has been completely obsessed. Disney is one of the most powerful companies in the world and it’s part of the childhoods of people all around the world. Disney also comes with a ton of problems that shouldn't be ignored, but most people are going to want to at least experience having unlimited access to all their childhood favourites. But is this enough of a basis for an entire streaming platform? Whereas Netflix feels like a collection of television and movie channels, Disney+ does feel a bit more like one channel (with some National Geographic basics thrown in). Can this sustain the platform in the long run for people who don’t have kids and probably won’t be watching the same shows and movies over and over again? Let’s discuss.
Let’s start with what I love: Disney through the decades, being able to find favourites I haven’t watched since I was a child, that amazing nostalgia kick of seeing some of my favourite stars when they were kids, and the overall feeling of wellness Disney content brings. It does feel like a trip down memory lane. The original content that I did get to check out was pretty solid. The Mandalorian wasn’t mind-blowing but it might turn into a great series for Star Wars fans—or any Sci-Fi fans. High School Musical: The Musical; The Series was pretty hilarious, with major Glee vibes and a lot of shout-outs to the original movies. The Lady and the Tramp film was an adorable live-action adaptation, and I think a lot of Disney live-action remakes are more suited for straight-to-platform releases anyway. As for the new Christmas film, Noelle, both Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader were amazing and charismatic as always, even if the movie was a bit boring. Overall, it’s a promising start to the platform and I’ve definitely been getting my enjoyment out of it, and I find myself anxiously waiting for all of the new Marvel content that the service promises in the future.
Now, time for the not-so-good. I’ll start by saying that I don’t like this new rise of streaming platforms. I know it’s super modern and the future and all that junk, but it just feels like it’s all going to become as divisive and expensive as network television again. I doubt most people will be subscribing to 10 different platforms. Most likely people will keep a couple favourites and periodically subscribe to others when something comes out that interests them. And this is the biggest problem with Disney+. Unless you have kids, I feel like the content will get old fast. I love the old Disney Channel shows and movies as much as the next millennial, but they are a little dated when it comes to re-watch value since they’re directed at children. After a binge of a few favourites and some classic movies, I probably won’t be watching the service nearly as often as I watch Netflix. Luckily the service does have enough content to sustain a decent amount of binging, so I’m sure the platform will see most subscribers sticking around for a few months.
With most of the coming-soon stuff coming…not so soon, it might be a good idea to hold out on the subscription, or subscribe for a month to get your Disney fix and then wait until the new content comes flooding in. Even their currently available new content is being released one episode at a time at 1 week intervals, so binge watchers beware. Disney+ is a fun romp and I know people in this house, including me, are having a great time with it, but until more aimed-for-adult spinoffs (like the future Lizzie McGuire reboot) come out, the nostalgia train is going to stop once we get our fix and most of us are probably going to hop right off. But, since Christmas is coming soon and the service is new and fresh (and most of the bugs seem to already be yesterday’s problem), I think Disney+ is the perfect treat for a household this holiday season.
Rating: 3.5/5
If you’ve subscribed to Disney+, let me know what you think! Are you enjoying the originals? What classics have you already binged? Will you be sticking around for a few more months?
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