The three channels were removed by Disney from October 1st and will only be available to stream from its very own on-demand streaming platform, Disney+.
Some families across the country might have woken up to a surprise over the weekend when kids went to watch their favourite TV shows on one of Disney's channels.
That’s because the entertainment company has chosen to remove three of its children's channels from TV providers in Ireland with a view to making the content more exclusive.
If you want to know more about the how and why just read on.
What’s happened?
In short, Disney has taken a number of its children’s TV channels off air, impacting customers who get their TV with Vodafone, Sky, Virgin Media, and Eir.
The Disney Channel, Disney XD, as well as Disney Junior have all been removed since October 1st and are now only available to view exclusively from Disney+, the new streaming platform from Disney which launched here in March of this year.
The decision was taken by Disney to remove the channels as no new deal had been negotiated, meaning third party companies no longer have the rights to broadcast Disney channels on their plans.
However, its other brands such as channels National Geographic and Fox will continue to be broadcast and available to view for pay-TV customers.
The decision taken by Disney to make its content more exclusive is also quite clearly part of its strategy to boost the profile of its new online streaming platform, Disney+.
Need a refresher?
What is Disney+?
Disney+ is the on-demand video streaming platform from Disney and has been available in Ireland since its launch in March.
Customers in Ireland can sign up to the streaming service directly for as little as €6.99 per month, or €69.99 for the full year, while also being able to do so via in-app purchases on select platforms and devices.
While Disney initially offered a free trial period of 7 days for new customers signing up, that offer has seemingly been revoked for the time being. So do keep an eye out in the future if you'd like to test out the platform for free.
But if you still want access to the kids channels for your youngsters, a subscription is currently the only way to go.
That being said, Disney’s entire back catalogue of content is available online, ranging from original Disney classic films such as Aladdin, to new shows like The Mandalorian. Disney has also recently launched the hit musical ‘Hamilton’ onto its service, so with a subscription you’d certainly keep the entire family entertained.
Take a look here for our definitive guide to streaming services in Ireland and for a closer look at Disney+ and how it compares to some of the heavy hitters in the online streaming space.
We recently took a look at two other popular streaming platforms, Netflix and NOW TV, and compared the two in this blog.
Advantage for Sky customers
Despite customers losing select Disney channels, customers of Sky can still enjoy and benefit from the partnership announced earlier in the year between the two companies.
The deal between Sky and Disney has made signing up and streaming Disney+ even easier for Sky customers who can now do so through the Sky Q box.
So, if you already have a Disney+ subscription all you have to do is select Disney+ from the apps page, log in and enjoy the integrated experience. To be ultra-modern you can also make things much easier by choosing to ‘open Disney’ using your voice remote.
Customers who don’t currently have a subscription can also choose to sign up to the streaming service exclusively from the Sky platform at a monthly cost of €6.99, with your subscription combined in your TV bill every month.
Check out all the latest deals from Sky right here, or take a look at our in-depth comparison on Eir vs Sky vs Virgin Media vs Vodafone here.
Compare the best deals today
If you're looking to upgrade your current TV plan or switch and save on your bills you can use bonkers.ie to compare the best deals out there.
Whether you’re looking for TV on its own, or combined with a home broadband bundle or home phone, you'll be glad to know that we compare the best deals across all suppliers, helping to make the switching process that bit easier.
Use our comparison tool today and find the best deal for you.
If you want to know how exactly to switch broadband providers, just follow these few simple steps.
It’s also important to remember that there are a number of things you should keep in mind when comparing the best broadband deals on the market. Take a look at our guide on 7 things to consider when switching broadband provider to ensure that you’re making an informed decision.
Get in touch with us
Are you disappointed with the news from Disney? Would you consider signing up for Disney+? Let us know below in the comments section.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us on our social media channels. We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
