The Disney Plus and Hulu merger is officially here. Tipped back in November during a Disney earnings call, this super streaming app adds a Hulu tile to the existing Disney Plus app so you don't need to leave the app to enjoy streaming services.
After using it for a bit, the first impressions are largely positive. With the Hulu tile right there on the home page, it's easy to get to Hulu content without needing to scroll. And when you search for a TV show or movie, you use the same Disney Plus search bar you always have and it will pull up results from both streaming services.
That's not to say this is perfect. As I'll get into in just a moment, there are quite a few catches and caveats to this new super streaming app. And if I'm being honest, between the user experience and the aforementioned caveats, I won't be going to Disney Plus if I'm looking for Hulu content. But, if I'm already on Disney Plus, I probably won't leave the app to watch Hulu content given it's now easily accessible.
If more people share my attitude then this initial beta test is probably a win for Bob Iger & Co. After all, the goal here is to reduce people leaving the Disney Plus app and the streaming service in general. While this new Disney Plus app still has some issues, it will probably accomplish both those goals, at least in small doses.
Disney Plus app with Hulu: Here's the catch(es)
Okay, first thing first — not everyone has access to this new Disney Plus with Hulu streaming app. You need to have a Disney bundle subscription, either the Duo or Trio plan works. These bundle plans combine at least two of Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus and have configurations that are ad-supported as well as premium configurations that ditch the ads on Disney Plus and Hulu.
But even if you have a Duo or Trio Disney bundle, you still might not have access to the Hulu beta in the Disney Plus app. The new version of the streaming app is still rolling out — as of this writing, several Tom's Guide staff still do not have access. So don't panic if you don't have it yet. A stable version of the Hulu integration isn't expected until March 2024, so don't be surprised if this is a slow rollout.
If you're watching an episode of The Bear in Disney Plus, the Hulu app won't know if you've watched the episode or how much of it you've watched.
You also need to have the same email address associated with the login for both your Disney Plus and Hulu accounts. Disney Plus customer service can help you link your accounts if that's causing you issues.
Aside from issues related to availability, there are a few other things to keep in mind when using Hulu on Disney Plus. First, because of licensing restrictions, not all Hulu content is available on the Hulu tile in Disney Plus. A lot of it is but hit titles like Modern Family are noticeably absent.
Second, according to Variety, your viewing progress won't sync across apps. What this means is that if you're watching an episode of The Bear in Disney Plus, the Hulu app won't know if you've watched the episode or how much of it you've watched. Sync between the platforms is expected to come on the stable version of the super streaming app in March.
Still, if you're someone who wishes everything was in one place, Disney Plus just got a major upgrade. And for the rest of us, this is still a welcome benefit to bundling our Disney Plus and Hulu subscriptions. Given that there is now a Netflix and Max bundle and possibly an Apple TV Plus and Paramount Plus bundle on the way, Disney needs to continue to stand out to keep subscribers.
