Is Hulu Included in Disney Plus?

Streaming media has become increasingly popular over the past decade, and now we are witnessing the beginning of a new battle for streaming dominance in 2019. Netflix has dominated the streaming world for years, securing major deals with companies like Starz, CBS, and even Disney. However, in recent times, many media conglomerates have started to create their own streaming platforms. Premium cable channels such as HBO, Showtime, and Starz have invested time and effort into developing their own apps or offering add-ons for platforms like Amazon Prime. CBS has also launched its own streaming service, All Access, which features reboots and continuations of popular shows like Star Trek and The Twilight Zone.

Over the next year, it seems like every company imaginable will have its own streaming platform. Apple TV+, DC Universe, HBO Max, Criterion Channel, and Peacock are just a few examples. At this point, streaming is starting to feel a lot like cable. However, we cannot ignore the biggest player in the room: Disney Plus. It is set to launch in a month and is expected to dominate the competition. With a starting price of just $6.99, Disney Plus will offer a vast collection of classic movies, TV shows, and new original content. It has the potential to become a major platform even before its official launch.

But what about Disney’s other streaming service, Hulu? While Hulu wasn’t originally a Disney product and had multiple owners, including Disney, 21st Century Fox, Warner Media, and NBCUniversal (which is owned by Comcast), Disney now fully controls the service after acquiring Fox’s media divisions and buying back shares from WarnerMedia and Comcast.

This leaves us with a few questions: Will Hulu be integrated into Disney Plus? Will Hulu continue to operate independently, or will it become part of Disney’s ever-growing ecosystem? And can you access Hulu as part of your Disney Plus subscription? Read on to find out.

Start by Signing Up

Before you can start streaming your favorite Disney movies on Disney Plus, you need to sign up for an account. You can begin by signing up for a free week trial or bundle Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus for a great price.

The Future of Hulu

First and foremost, no, Hulu is not going away. Despite being owned by Disney, there are no plans to shut down Hulu. In fact, Disney sees Hulu as a platform to offer more mature content to its viewers. While Disney Plus caters to the whole family with shows like High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and The Mandalorian, Hulu features adult-oriented shows such as The Handmaid’s Tale. Disney believes that combining Hulu’s content with Disney Plus would complicate the service, as parents may need to set up explicit content blocks. Disney values Hulu as its own brand and aims to increase original programming under its ownership.

Just so you know, Comcast’s decision to sell their stake in Hulu isn’t as straightforward as it seems. They’re currently a silent partner and can’t sell their 33 percent stake at market value until 2024. Alongside this, NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast, will keep licensing their content to Hulu until at least 2024. However, with NBC launching Peacock in 2020, these agreements might be renegotiated to be non-exclusive.

Will Disney Plus Include Hulu?

You won’t get Hulu included with Disney Plus for the basic price of $6.99. They’ll each be separate plans, and if you want Hulu, it’ll cost you an additional $5.99 per month on top of your Disney Plus plan. But don’t worry, there are ways to include Hulu if you already have certain plans. If you’re a Sprint subscriber with their unlimited plan, you’ll get Hulu included with your data. And if you’re paying for Spotify, you can link your Hulu account and enjoy Hulu streaming for free, at least for now.

If you can’t get Hulu in a bundle with Sprint or Spotify, don’t worry, there are other options available. While Disney Plus and Hulu normally cost $12.98 per month when paid separately, Disney is planning to offer a special bundle for subscribers. This bundle includes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus, all for one monthly payment of $12.99. Essentially, this means you get ESPN Plus for free with your subscription.

However, if you don’t have any interest in ESPN Plus—which costs $4.99 on its own—then we recommend sticking to paying for the two services separately. If you bundle Hulu with Disney Plus, you won’t have the option to upgrade your plan to Hulu’s ad-free subscription. The ad-free subscription also lets you download episodes of your favorite shows onto your mobile devices. With Hulu’s separate $5.99 plan, you can also watch content on two screens at the same time. But if you bundle your subscription with Disney Plus, you’ll only be able to watch Hulu on one screen at a time.

Hulu has gone through significant changes over the years. It started as a free online streaming service and eventually became a fully-paid platform to compete with Netflix. At one point, it seemed like Hulu might not survive, but now it has become a staple in the streaming world. While there may be more changes in store for Hulu over the next decade, it will continue to offer streaming television and movies for a cozy night in, all while existing alongside Disney Plus.