Disney will start streaming its Disney+ service in the UK on Tuesday 24 March. If you have kids at home due to the school closures it’s probably coming just in the nick of time for you. Here’s how to watch the shows on your Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, including how to get a discount on the subscription, where to download the Disney+ app, which Apple products can play Disney+ content and how to watch it. We’ll also let you know what shows you will be able to enjoy.
What’s on Disney+
Before we tell you how to watch Disney+ on your Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac, here’s what you can actually see on Disney+.
- Pixar movies and shorts
- StarWars movies and related content
- Marvel movies and related content
- Disney movies and other shows (most of the back catalogue)
- New TV shows including Star Wars show The Mandalorian
- Documentaries including National Geographic content
Is Frozen II on Disney+ ?
If you were thinking of getting Frozen II now that it’s available as a digital download you may be considering subscribing to Disney+ as an alternative, but be aware that it won’t be on Disney+ in the UK until 17 July!
When is Disney+ launching in the UK
Disney + will launch in the UK on 24 March 2020. The app will be available to download on the App Store on that day.
It is also launching in Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland on the same day.
How much is Disney+
You can sign up to Disney+ in the UK for £5.99 a month or £59.99 annual subscription (which would be just under £5 a month).
Disney+ costs $6.99 per month (around £5.50) in the US, with the option of saving a little by paying $69.99 per year – which works out at $5.83 each month.
If you want to save even more money on your subscription our colleges at TechAdvisor have advice about the best Disney Plus discounts and how to get Disney Plus for free.
If you subscribe to Disney+ you will be able to stream content on four devices at the same time. If you sign up for family sharing you will be able to share the subscription with six family members.
Where can I watch Disney+
Disney+ is available on iOS and Apple TV devices including:
- Apple TV (Apple TV 4K or TV HD, or an older Apple TV if you use AirPlay to stream from iOS device)
- iPhone (using iOS 11 or higher)
- iPod touch (iOS 11 and higer)
- iPad (using iOS 11 or higher)
- Mac (via a web browser)
We’ll explain how to Disney+ on all your Apple devices below.
If you don’t have an Apple TV you’ll still be able to watch Disney+ on your TV if you have one of the following gadgets:
- Amazon Fire TV Stick (from £39.99 here)
- Amazon Fire Tablets (from £49.99 here)
- Android Phones & Tablets
- Android TV
- Chromecast
- PS4
- Smart TVs from LG, Samsung
- Roku (from £29.99 here)
- Xbox One
- SkyQ (£25 a month here)
Coming soon:
- Now TV ( here)
How to get Disney + on Apple
First you will have to subscribe to the service.
- Click/tap on this link to the Disney+ site
- Click/tap on Start 7-Day Free Trial
- Now you need to create a Disney account: Enter your email address
- Create a password
- Enter your bank details for the subscription
- After a week your subscription will start and you will receive an email stating that your account has been charged.
Here’s how our email looked when we signed up for the special offer that Disney was running prior to the launch (where you could sign up for £49.99).
How to watch Disney+ on iPhone or iPad
Once the service launches on 24 March, you will be able to download the app for iPhone and iPad, here’s how:
- Click on this link to go to the App Store
- Or open the App Store and search for Disney+
- Download the app
- Once downloaded enter the login details you set up when subscribing
The Disney+ should work with iOS 11 and higher.
How to use Disney+ app on iPhone or iPad
Once you have downloaded the app you can either commence your free first week or log in with the details you used when setting up your Disney account and subscribing (as above).
How to find Disney+ content
Once you are logged into the app you will see tabs for content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, StarWars and National Geographic. You can also browse content in the following categories: Originals, Hit Moies, Animated Movies, Recommended For You, Reimagined Classics, Action and Adventure, Musicals, Throwbacks, Nostalgic Movies, Shorts (lots of Pixar here) and loads more.
You can also search for a movie or other content and when you tap on the search icon you will see an Explore view that might surface yet more content for you. Explore includes Originals, Movies and Series as well as various collections.
How to download Disney+ content
You can watch anything you find in the Disney+ app just by tapping on Play. Or you can Tap on the download icon to download it onto your device and watch if you don’t have a WiFi connection.
You can then find downloaded shows by tapping on the Download icon at the bottom of the screen.
How to watch Disney+ on Apple TV
From 24 March you will be able to download the Disney+ app from the Apple TV App Store on your Apple TV.
- Open the App Store on your Apple TV
- Search for Disney+
- Download the app
- Once downloaded enter the login details you set up when subscribing
Disney+ integrates with the TV app, so if you search for a movie in the TV app and it’s available to stream from Disney you will be able to see it listed there.
How to watch Disney + on old Apple TVs
If you have an Apple TV 4K or TV HD you’ll be able to watch Disney+ just by downloading the app from the Apple TV app store as per the advice above, but what if you have an older Apple TV without the App Store?
In that case you can still use Disney+ but you will need to use AirPlay and stream from your iPhone or iPad.
- Open Control Centre on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on Screen Mirroring
- Choose your Apple TV.
- Now whatever is on your iPhone or iPad screen will appear on your TV.
How to get Disney+ on a Mac
There isn’t a Mac version of the Disney+ app, but you can stream via your browser if you visit the Disney+ website.
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld almost two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.