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Disney Plus Free Trial: Can You Watch for Free in 2022?

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Keen to sign up for Disney Plus now you know everything about it? We get that. It’s a truly amazing streaming service that feels like it’s the home of pretty much everything you could ever want to watch. Like us, you love to save money too, so you’re probably wondering if Disney Plus has a free trial right now. Read on and we’ll explain what you need to know. It’s not as clear as you’d like it to be, but Disney Plus is definitely worth your time.

Does Disney Plus Have a Free Trial in 2022?

Simply put, there is no Disney Plus free trial anymore. There used to be when the service launched, but that stopped a while ago. We’ve got more on that later, but right now, we understand you’re a little disappointed by the lack of a Disney Plus free trial. Instead, there are some other offers out there. For instance, some cell phone networks offer Disney Plus deals bundled in with your normal contract so it works out as free alongside something you are already paying for. Additionally, services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also often bundle in free Disney Plus plans that can last a number of months.

There’s a catch with all of these though. They are all only available for new subscribers. If you are an existing subscriber, you will miss out on an extra bargain. That’s because while you can use a different email address to sign up for Disney Plus, it will recognize your form of payment meaning you can’t simply start all over again.

If you have not signed up for Disney Plus before however, it’s worth checking out what is available to you. A growing number of companies like to toss in extra Disney Plus trials to make up for the lack of widely available free trials. Even Amazon has gotten in on the act sometimes, with deals associated with Amazon Music Unlimited throwing in extra months of Disney Plus for new subscribers. For everyone else though, especially previous subscribers, you will need to pay for a month of Disney Plus to enjoy it.

When Did the Disney Plus Free Trial End?

The Disney Plus free trial ended in the summer of 2020. At the time, the Disney Plus free trial had lasted since November 2019, giving Disney plenty of time to attract new subscribers. Essentially, it was designed so that users could check out a new streaming service without committing to anything.

Previously, the Disney Plus free trial offered the entire Disney Plus content library so users could enjoy everything out there. Once new and high-profile releases were announced including Hamilton and Frozen 2, the Disney Plus free trial ended in many regions in response. That was in June 2020. Disney explained that it was due to the service being able to “deliver a compelling entertainment offering on its own” without needing to offer a free trial. Since then, the free trial period has never returned, However, instead, there are many aforementioned ways to get it for less.

At the same time as a free trial concluded, Disney Plus Premier Access was introduced to the service, allowing customers to buy the latest releases for $30 the same day as they were (or should have been) available in movie theatres. Certain countries and regions also continued to offer a free trial with the general idea being that free trials are included where countries have just started to offer Disney Plus. However, these are not easily accessible by other users elsewhere as they still require entering a relevant payment method for that chosen country.

How Long Was the Disney Plus Free Trial?

The Disney Plus free trial was always fairly short. It offered just seven days. That’s fairly slim pickings compared to competitors with Netflix previously offering 30 days (although no longer available) and Apple TV+ offering a number of months depending on the hardware you buy from it. However, when you look at the caveats involved, it was still very good value. The seven-day free trial provided full access to the Disney Plus content catalog including all movies and shows that were available in 4K — something that Netflix never offered when it had a free trial. You got the full richness that Disney Plus had to offer. Similarly, there was no need to buy hardware like in the case of Apple TV+. The free trial was available to anyone interested instead and a huge marketing drive at launch.

Seven days is also plenty of time to try out much of what Disney Plus has to offer. While you can’t binge-watch an incredibly long series that way, it’s still sufficient time to see what’s out there. There were no limits on how much you could watch in those seven days either. Effectively, users could still get a lot out of it without committing to a monthly subscription although it’s likely that many early adopters stick with it.

The Disney Plus free trial offer worked in all regions where Disney Plus was made available, so everyone around the world could try out the service for a full seven days. Taking a week off work during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns? This was the ideal time to check out what Disney Plus had to offer.

Will the Disney Plus Free Trial Return?

No one has a crystal ball when it comes to this, — except maybe Disney Plus, we’re guessing. We don’t like to be the bearer of bad news but it seems unlikely that the Disney Plus free trial will return. Disney Plus is an incredibly successful streaming service now and it offers a lot of content that many users are very happy to pay for. That includes all things Marvel and Star Wars, as well as Disney and Pixar, so it’s a hugely popular place to watch new shows and movies. It also regularly adds new content like the latest hit animation, Encanto, with 2022 looking to be a big deal for the service with the likes of Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Sneakerella, and much more set to be released as part of the Disney originals this year.

We’re not saying that the Disney Plus free trial will never return, but Disney simply does not need to entice new subscribers in right now. With a huge back catalog of content, it is likely to do just fine with paying subscribers being lured in by big names. The only exception may be occasional offers such as on Disney Plus day last year which meant new subscribers could sign up for just $2 for the first month. We can’t see it ever being entirely free again, even just for a few days.

Instead, keen subscribers are better off looking for deals elsewhere such as through their cell phone provider, or simply accepting that you get what you pay for.

Forget the Disney Plus Free Trial — Just Pay $8

Look, we know that free stuff is the best but we’re also very confident that Disney Plus is worth every cent. It’s just $8 for a month of fantastic content. That content genuinely covers every kind of mood and taste. It’s the kind of content library that will attract the whole family, whether young or old, meaning you’ll always find something to watch.

Our list of the best Disney movies of all time is available on Disney Plus and it’s a fantastic starting point. It includes the likes of Soul, Up, The Lion King, and Aladdin. No matter your age, you are still going to laugh a ton at Robin Williams’ performance as the Genie in Aladdin. A broader selection of movies is also available courtesy of the best movies on Disney Plus right now. These include classy comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, as well as Broadway sensation, Hamilton. The latter is ideal if you can’t get tickets to see it at the theater. And of course, there are all things Marvel. You can watch every movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe here from Iron Man to Avengers: End Game, ensuring you can get up to date with everything unfolding amongst the dozens of movies. There’s also plenty of room for Marvel spin-off series like Hawkeye, and Loki. We’re talking hundreds of hours of Marvel action here.

Star Wars also features prominently as one would expect with every Star Wars movie here in glorious 4K resolutions. Alongside that are all the Star Wars spin-offs like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. There are even lesser-known Star Wars shows like the Ewok spin-off movies you may remember from the 1980s.

Elsewhere, the best Disney Plus originals live up to their name too. Shows like The Mysterious Benedict Society are fascinating for all the family with Monsters at Work taking place straight after the events of 2001’s Monsters Inc, and using the voice talent of Billy Crystal and John Goodman. There’s even a rebooted version of Turner & Hooch too! Some of the other best Disney Plus shows also feature America’s Funniest Home Videos and The Simpsons. Yup, Disney Plus is even the home of The Simpsons so you are really not going to run out of options any time soon here. If you’ve wanted to see all the episodes right back from the start, this is the streaming service for you.

Genuinely catering for every mood, Disney Plus is potentially the best streaming service out there. That’s thanks to it offering such a wide breadth of shows and movies. It includes all your favorites like Marvel and Star Wars, while also making room for so much more. If you’re keen to get the best from a streaming subscription, you really don’t have to track down a Disney Plus free trial. Signing up for it is still tremendous value and one that will lure you into signing up for a yearly plan without any bother.

Editors' Recommendations

Jen Allen
Freelance Writer
Jen Allen is a technology and lifestyle writer with over 10 years of experience.
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