Like most streaming services at launch, when Disney Plus initially landed in the US in November 2019, you could bag yourself a 7-day Disney Plus free trial. Six months later that magic carpet was swept from under us – and it was much the same story for international markets in the UK, Canada, and Australia, too. While it seems like we might be out of luck with watching Disney Plus for free, there may be a few other options detailed below.
The Disney Plus free trial disappeared for many regions in mid-2020, a move that coincidentally came with the impending arrival of huge summer hits like Hamilton. Slap bang in the middle of the pandemic, Disney likely couldn't afford anyone to hightail off its streaming service as soon as the 7-days were up.
There is a chance a Disney Plus free trial could be reintroduced in order to maintain its spike of new subscribers, recording an increase of 11.8 million in the first quarter of 2022. Of course, where the service has yet to arrive – including some central and eastern European countries, as well as South Africa – it wouldn't be naïve to assume there could be a free trial available at launch in these territories.
Disney Plus free trial: is there one?
Not right now. From its November 2019 US launch to June 2020, a Disney Plus free trial was universally available to new customers in markets like the US and UK. In June, it was reported that the trial was no more.
“We continue to test and evaluate different marketing, offers and promotions to grow Disney Plus,” Disney said in a statement, as reported by Variety. “The service was set at an attractive price-to-value proposition that we believe delivers a compelling entertainment offering on its own.”
Free Disney Plus trials did allow users to use the service in full for seven days before spending anything, giving them an opportunity to enjoy a whole bunch of movies and TV shows in a quick burst before cancelling if they wanted to.
Is a free Disney Plus free trial available anywhere?
Since Disney Plus was first rolled out in the US, more and more countries have received access to the service as time has gone on.
The last country a known Disney Plus free trial was available was in Japan where the service launched in June 2020 and new customers could still take advantage of a free trial of 31-days. However, this ended in late 2021.
The countries that got Disney Plus earlier like the US and the UK, though, no longer have access to the old seven-day trial, as explained.
Where can you benefit from a Disney Plus free trial right now?
Currently nowhere.
The last country Disney Plus launched in was Hong Kong and South Korea where there is currently no free trial. However, with 2022 promising launches in central and eastern European countries like Poland, Hungary, and Latvia, it could be good news for those after a Disney Plus free trial. It's also expected to arrive in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
What's the best way to try Disney Plus without a free trial?
The monthly subscription fee for Disney Plus is a reasonably lean $7.99/£7.99/AUS$11.99, but if you're prepared to commit with a hefty upfront payment of $79.99/£79.90/AUS$119.99 a year depending on where you are, you're actually saving just under 20% annually. That said, Disney Plus' monthly rate is still cheaper than much of Disney's streaming competition, including Netflix and HBO Max, and a month is enough time to figure out if you like it or not.
Want even more for your money? US customers can benefit from the Disney Plus bundle, including Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu for just $13.99 a month or $19.99 a month if you choose to have Hulu without ads. This, of course, gives you access to even more content, including more content catered to adults on Hulu with the likes of The Handmaid's Tale and Little Fires Everywhere available to binge. It goes without saying that ESPN Plus more than covers sporting fans with a bunch of great entertainment.
What could you watch with a free Disney Plus trial?
The Disney Plus free trial granted access to the entire streaming library to watch as much as you liked in a seven-day period. Functionally, it was a week-long subscription to the service, and as long as you cancelled before the end of the trial period, you got to enjoy every TV show and movie without spending anything.
That included a payload of Marvel, Star Wars, Disney and Pixar movies, alongside originals like The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars.
For now, at least, you'll have to pay if you want to check it out if you're not in one of the above countries where a free trial is still available.
Are there any free ways to get Disney Plus?
Getting a Disney Plus free trial is essentially null and void for new customers in the US, UK and Australia. That said, there are still means to get a Disney Plus free trial for a year – specifically if you're a US customer after a new phone.
Depending on what Verizon Wireless plans you go for, you can get up to a year of Disney Plus free. Upgrade to select unlimited plans and get Disney Plus for six months. Select unlimited plans could also see you receive the Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle for a whole year.
Similarly, across the Atlantic, there are O2 phone deals offering a similar freebie. Yes, O2 customers can enjoy Disney Plus free for six months as a part of their pay monthly package on select handsets.
Does Disney Plus have gift cards?
Needless to say, it's not quite on the same wavelength as a Disney Plus free trial. However, much like its competitors, a Disney Plus gift card does exist. Nudge a friend or family member in the right direction when you have a special occasion coming up and you might just get access to Disney Plus without dropping your own cash – albeit someone else will be.
Working much like a gift card for your favorite clothing store or a bookshop, for instance, you can buy a gift card that treats someone to a whole year of Disney Plus for $79.99 USD / £79.90 / $119.99 CAD / €89.90 / $119.99 AUD / $129.99 NZD – the same Disney Plus price for a standard annual subscription.
Unfortunately, in less you can get yourself to a Disney store in the US or a Disney Park, you can't purchase a physical Disney Plus gift card. Able to send your Disney Plus gift subscription to any email address, this certainly adds some excitement to anyone's inbox.
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