Back in June, Disney spent almost $439 million to buy Comcast out of their remaining Hulu shares. The Mouse bought the controlling share of Hulu in 2019, so this deal finally gave them full control of the platform. Over the last six years, the company’s been slowly integrating Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu subscriptions by pushing users to sign up for all three streamers under one login. As of right now, you can still subscribe to each service individually.
In August, Disney announced that they were going to “unify” their brand and “fully integrate” Hulu under the Disney name. This meant they were going to eventually combine them all under one app and do away with the Hulu website and app login completely. They’d also transfer anyone that uses Hulu’s live TV service over to Disney’s new joint venture, Fubo. Well, the clock is now officially ticking for Hulu’s standalone service. Come 2026, the app will officially go away. You’ll still be able to subscribe separately, but anyone who wants to log into Hulu will have to go in through the Disney+ app.
Disney has announced it will fully incorporate the Hulu app into a single, unified Disney + app by next year, phasing out the standalone Hulu app.
While the separate app will disappear, the “Hulu” brand will continue to exist as “Hulu on Disney+” as a way to accommodate its general entertainment and adult-oriented content.
That translates into meaning users will still be able to access their existing subscriptions and content through the updated Disney+ app.
The Disney announcement also comes with a price increase for the streaming services…
Note that Hulu’s original content will not disappear; it will be fully integrated into the Disney + app by 2026.
Users will begin to see updates in the coming weeks.
Nj.com, SILive.com’s sister publication, reported that according to Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston, the integrated app will create an “improved consumer experience.” The Disney execs have promised “tremendous choice, convenience, quality, and enhanced personalization” for subscribers, per Variety.
Essentially, all three streaming services will be combined into the Disney+ app. On your home screen, you’ll have tabs for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, depending on which you subscribe to. From a business POV, it makes total sense for Disney to consolidate all of their streamers into one app. I don’t love the move, but it’s one of the few big corporate decisions that I “get.” It’s more cost effective to house everything under one app *and* they get to consolidate all of our data under one roof. Total win for the House of Mouse. I don’t like it, but I get it. It was only a matter of time.
That said, this move will F over anyone who uses different email addresses to log into each site. Let’s say you have a Disney+ account and a Hulu account but they’re not bundled because it’s more cost effective to take advantage of a cheap standalone Black Friday Hulu offer. In this scenario, you’d have to do it under a different email. When the Hulu app goes away, you’ll have to log out and back into the D+ app to go between services. Disney is counting on us being willing to pay more to avoid the inconvenience. What they haven’t accounted for is how many people find it more convenient and cost-effective to just drop everything rather than add something new.
Photos via Disney press, Hulu press and Getty
I hate this though because Hulu is practically the only streamer I regularly watch. Their catalog is amazing, especially for crime shows. As long as the tabs really are distinct and I don’t have to scroll through Disney content to find my next binge, I’ll survive.
If your library is a participant, the free streaming service Kanopy is also a good option. Lots of good content that changes, so it’s not boring. You just need your library card info for the sign-in screen.
Oops — meant to add this to the price hike post. 🙁
This is a tiny thing, but i hate the disney interface.
I like streamers that put the title of the show/movie beneath the pic. Yes, the title is written on the pic, but often in script and it is hard to read if you are across the room, don’t have a giant tv screen and have old eyes.
So you have to click on the movie to even see what it is, if you’re curious.
After the Kimmel thing i dropped the bundled hulu/disney. Hulu had removed Veronica Mars already (except the modern season) so i own that on dvd. and as much as i LOVED MASH and the Golden Girls growing up, i find i don’t rewatch them often.
But…. i am embarrassed to say i will be subscribing to disney in December. I usually do it for the old mickey christmas content from my childhood, but this year it will also be…. for Taylor Swift.
Hopefully she will eventually release official dvds….. or perhaps i can find a slightly unofficial dvd, like i did for the eras tour movie and reputation stadium tour.
I’m preparing for the collapse of the economy after trump and his corrupt nazis steal everything and outlaw anyone worth less than $1B from voting.
I’m glad that they brought back Kimmel, but I will never forget what they did.
Cancelled after what they did to Kimmel. Bye, Disney.
Agree with @Ariel comment up above. I don’t like the Disney app either for it’s just so busy and all over the place. Since they are dumping so much stuff into it.
I loved Hulu app so easy to use. Hulu was my first streaming app I subscribed to. I feel like I am losing a family member lol.
I know most Americans don’t seem to care enough to be bothered by the way our media is helping this fascist, hostile government takeover that’s currently in motion, but I do. And I’m not going back.