Well, there is certainly a LOT going on with The Walt Disney Company.

And we’re not even talking about the big 100th Anniversary Celebration that’s still going on (and coming to EPCOT soon). Disney just recently held its third quarter 2023 earnings call, and we learned about Disney’s current financial status for both Disney Parks and streaming, but we also got some big announcements.

Opening Timelines Announced

Disney released updated charts with opening timelines to give us an idea of when we can expect new movies, shows, and new parks and Disney Cruise Line experiences. This new list includes some movies we had not yet seen timelines for, including the live-action Snow White (which releases on March 22nd, 2024), as well as Elio (March 1st, 2024) and Inside Out 2(June 14th, 2024). Surprisingly enough, though, Deadpool 3 was not listed, which could mean it’s been delayed.

We also got timelines for new shows streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, including the arrival of The Little Mermaid live-action film on Disney+ on September 6th. The timeline below doesn’t list a premiere date for season 2 of Loki, although Disney DID announce that Loki season 2 would arrive on Disney+ on October 6th. 

Finally, Disney released an updated opening timeline list for Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line, including the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Treasure, which is coming in Fiscal Year 2025.

It’s nice to see the opening timelines laid out so neatly so we can keep track of everything. However, we do expect some things might get moved around a bit (which is usually the case).

Read more about these opening timelines

New Disney+ and Hulu Bundle

Disney also announced that a new Disney+ and Hulu Bundle would soon be available to subscribers. The new bundle will be the Duo Premium tier which will offer access to ad-free Disney+ and ad-free Hulu for $19.99 per month. The new $19.99 Duo Bundle will be available starting September 6th, 2023. Those who subscribe will save 37% compared to subscribing to each service separately.

The existing Duo Bundle will still be offered for $9.99 per month. 

Read more about the Duo Premium Bundle

Streaming Price Increases

That new bundle might be an even better deal, considering that Disney has plans to raise prices on its other streaming offerings.  The ad-free version of Disney+ will increase to $13.99 per month starting on October 12th, 2023. Fortunately, the version of this service with ads will remain at the same price at $7.99 per month.

Hulu is also getting a price increase. Although Hulu with ads will remain the same ($7.99 per month), the ad-free version of Hulu will go up to $17.99 per month. 

Read more about these price increases

Disney to go after password sharing

Disney will soon be taking a page out of Netflix’s book and start looking closely at password sharing. Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the company is trying to determine the best strategies for its pricing, marketing, and content to “reset the whole business around economics.” However, he also said that the company was starting to actively look at account sharing (yep, password sharing).

Iger confirmed that the company was actively working to update subscription agreements. So Disney may soon start cracking down on password sharing.

Read more about Disney’s plan involving password sharing

Disney World attendance is down

We also learned from the earnings report that attendance for Disney World is down (and we’ve certainly noticed fewer crowds this summer at the resort). In the third quarter of fiscal year 2023, the Parks, Experiences, and Products Division reported that revenues for the quarter increased to $8.3 billion, with segment operating income increasing 11% to $2.4 billion.

Higher operating results for the quarter reflected increases at the international parks and resorts, but there were lower numbers for the U.S. parks. Disney said that the decrease at Disney World was due to higher costs and lower volumes. The price increases in the parks were due to inflation, but also the accelerated depreciation related to the closure of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

What does that mean for you? Well, it could mean we’ll see more discounts for Disney World going into 2024. We’ve already seen quite a few this year, including discounts around the holidays (which we haven’t seen in a LONG time).

Read more about Disney Parks’ Q3 2023 financial results here

Of course, these aren’t the only things Disney covered during its earnings call. For more details about everything else we learned during the call, see our posts below:

• Disney Made Big Announcements Today — Here’s What You Need To Know
• Disney CEO Bob Iger Comments on New ESPN Sports Betting Service
• Disney CEO Bob Iger Comments on Actor’s Strike
• Bob Iger Was Asked If He’d Sell Disney To Apple. Here’s What He Said.

Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news.

How Much Should You Save for Disney World?

What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments!

The post Disney Just Made 5 BIG Announcements – Here’s How They Affect You first appeared on the disney food blog.