Disney Plus is a fantastic streaming service for adults and children alike. Parents appreciate it for the wealth of kid-friendly content, while kids can find the latest Disney shows and movies with ease (yes, including almost every bit of the Marvel Cinematic Universe).
But what you might not realize is that there’s more to Disney Plus than meets the eye. Sure, you can stream just like you normally would — but you can also take advantage of a few tips and tricks to make the most of the streaming service. Here’s how.
Can’t find your favorite show? Request it
Disney Plus might have a ton of content, but it doesn’t have everything. After all, how could it, especially with Disney’s long history of production? The good news is that you can request a show. All you have to do is go to the Disney Plus Help Center, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the big button that says Give Feedback. The drop-down box lets you request a movie or show. You can give up to three suggestions at once. (That said, you may be hard-pressed to find a movie or show Disney Plus doesn’t have!)
Tweak your streaming settings
Disney Plus is a considerate application. It takes into account potential bandwidth limitations and makes it so you can adjust the streaming and data usage. There are three options: automatic, moderate, and save data. Automatic streams in the highest quality are available to you, based on your Wi-Fi speed. Moderate uses less data and only streams content in high definition (but still uses as much as 1.2 GB per hour), while saving data reduces the content down to standard definition but only uses 0.6 GB per hour.
Stream with a VPN
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a service that masks your physical location and encrypts your data when browsing the web. While the main use for a VPN is to protect your privacy and keep vital, sensitive information (like bank account logins) secure while on the web, streamers have found another use for it: accessing content not available in their region. Many services, such as Hulu, Netflix, and Disney Plus, have different content lineups according to region. A VPN lets you appear as though you’re in a different part of the world and provides access to different content lineups.
Check out deleted scenes
Remember when DVDs and Blu-Rays would include an extra disk with deleted content, behind-the-scenes looks, and even gag reels? Good news: Disney Plus offers that, too. A lot of movies and even a few shows will have a section below the synopsis called Extras. Select that to see a lot of additional content you might not get to view otherwise. It’s a great way to catch filming goofs, trivia, and more — and if there’s anything the “Game of Thrones” coffee cup taught us, it’s that people love when things slip through.
Download movies and shows
If you’re getting ready to head out on a road trip and you’re quaking in your boots at the thought of mobile data fees, never fear: Offline content is here. Like many other streaming services, Disney Plus allows users to download content for offline viewing. There’s a little download arrow in the app you can use. Unfortunately, you can’t download content from a browser — only through the Disney Plus app.
Watch with friends
If you want to get together to have a movie night with friends, but they’re scattered across the country, there’s good news. A new feature called GroupWatch allows up to seven people to watch together at once. Everyone has control of the stream, too. Whether a pizza is delivered or the dog needs to go out, when one person pauses the stream, it pauses for everyone — and all your friends can send emoji reactions, too. The one major restriction is that everyone needs a Disney Plus subscription to take part (but there’s nothing stopping you from inviting local friends over to watch with you at home).
Save a little (or a lot) of money
Streaming was once a great way to cut back on cable costs, but let’s face the truth: There are so many services available today, all with their own great content lineups, that many people are paying the same they once did for cable. You can save a little money on Disney Plus by bundling it with Hulu and ESPN Plus, or you can swap to a standalone annual plan. Doing so will save you almost 20% versus paying monthly over the same duration.
Take advantage of collections
When there’s a lot of content to watch, it can be tough to search through it all. Disney Plus makes this easier with a series of curated collections, a few of which include the Thor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Asian & Pacific Islander Stories collections. This makes it a lot easier to narrow your search down to a given theme, especially if you only have a vague idea of what you want to watch on any given evening.
Customize your subtitles
Disney Plus has a lot of whimsical content. Why shouldn’t your subtitles be just the same? Disney Plus makes it easy to customize your subtitles through the subtitle settings menu. You can choose between a variety of font styles and sizes, colors, edges, and even subtitle window opacity options.
Final thoughts
Disney Plus is a great option, especially if you have kids — but if you’re an adult who grew up with a passion for Disney content, don’t feel bad. You’re among friends. Disney Plus makes it easy to revisit old favorites like “Phil of the Future” or to catch one-shot exclusive content related to Chris Hemsworth’s golden locks.
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