Disney+ getting a massive upgrade that can change the way you watch

Disney+ will soon add a new picture format that'll potentially improve viewing for many subscribers.

The organisation behind the HDR10 image technology announced during CES 2025 (via MediaPlayNews) that the streaming service is the latest to commit to adding HDR10+ to its platform. That means, viewers without access to a Dolby Vision TV will soon also be able to enjoy enhanced HDR capabilities in shows and films.

Like Dolby Vision, HDR10+ allows TVs, projectors and other compatible devices to adapt colour and contrast settings on a frame-by-frame basis, allowing for more accuracy in picture performance. Disney+ already supports HDR10, but that is only capable of adjusting video scene-by-scene.

Currently, if viewers want a more refined HDR experience they have to own a Dolby Vision-enabled display, but TVs from Samsung, for example, don't support it. That's no surprise really considering Samsung co-created the HDR10+ format and therefore favours it.

And now that Disney+ is joining the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and YouTube in offering the alternative system, that shouldn't matter for much longer.

Also, even if your TV is compatible with Dolby Vision it's likely to also work with HDR10+, and you might even prefer the nuances in output it provides. There are more than 13,000 products with support already available today, it is claimed.

It's not yet clear when the format might be available to Disney+ subscribers, but it is expected to launch as part of a major upgrade this year.

How much is Disney+?

There are three different Disney+ plans in the UK.

Disney+ Standard with Ads costs £4.99 per month and includes ad-supported streaming of the entire library. You are limited to 1080p video, with 5.1 surround sound. Two devices can be streamed to simultaneously.

Disney+ Standard ups the ante a touch. It is priced at £8.99 per month or £89.90 for a year and is also limited to 1080p and 5.1 streaming. However, you don't get the adverts and can also watch shows and movies offline, with up to 10 devices able to be registered.

Disney+ Premium is the highest tier. Priced at £12.99 per month or £129.99 for a whole year's access, it adds 4K HDR (Dolby Vision) video, Dolby Atmos sound, and is completely ad-free. You can stream on up to four devices at once and download all content onto a maximum of 10 devices.

If you want to share the account with a family member outside of your immediate household, you can also pay extra for an additional profile to watch from a different location. That starts at £3.99 per month.

Things are a little different in the US and Australia.

A Disney+ Basic / Standard plan costs $9.99 / AU$13.99 per month for ad-supported streaming, while Disney+ Premium, with no ads and all the bells and whistles, will set you back $15.99 / AU$17.99 per month or $159.99 / AU$179/99 for a year's subscription.