Disney+ Needs a “Classics Only” Subscription Option and Make Fans Pay for the New Stuff

When The Walt Disney Company launched its streaming service, Disney+, the true purpose was almost immediately fulfilled. Sure, it has delivered some incredible cinema-quality original programming like The Mandalorian, and it served as solid platform to compensate for covid-related issues with theatrical releases. But, let’s be honest: at the end of the day, there is only one reason everybody has access to Disney+ and that is for the Disney movies.

Related: Is Disney About to Give Up a Huge Part of Its Streaming Family?

Disney+ essentially became the digital version of the Disney Vault. The official one-stop shop for all of the amazing movies we all had growing up. As the powers that be paid exorbitant amounts of cash to terminate their party contracts early, that collection continued to grow, including all of the Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios films, all of the Star Wars films, and the entire Avengers Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

That’s all I really need and I don’t think I’m the only one.

From Baymax shorts to that trainwreck of a Pinocchio remake, Disney+ started giving subscribers new stuff nobody really asked for, and that was not up to the Disney Standard. Under the now-extinct distribution side headed by Kareem Daniel, a straight-to-Disney+ release started to become synonymous with “straight-to-video,” which evolved to describe a project of far less quality than what would be shown in theaters, and that new content has also taken extreme criticism for replacing the quality with obvious tropes of a “woke” agenda. The most recent example is the episode of the Proud Family reboot that spreads blatant historical fallacies and pushes the divisive Critical Race Theory onto children.

Read More: “Anti-White Propaganda”: Controversy Surrounds Disney’s Latest Show

Now, I may dislike 90% of everything Disney Entertainment is putting out right now, but I am not going to “boycott Disney.” There has to be another option.

During The Walt Disney Company’s Q1 2023 Earnings Webcast, CEO Bob Iger discussed streaming, and the plans to make it profitable. He wants to hold creatives accountable for the performance of their films and shows, and he recognizes the a-la-carte consumer power streaming offers us fans.

So, Mr. Iger, give us a new subscription option that does not include any of the new stuff. No “woke” animation, no soulless remakes, and no over-complicated comic book subplots. Let us watch all of the pre-2020 animated movies at a lower subscription rate with the opportunity to add the “new stuff” for an extra added cost. This same niche subscription tier could also work for die-hard Marvel and Star Wars fans, too.

Related: End of Chapek Era: Iger Announces Massive Company Transformation

In no way am I saying that Iger should be even more like Bob Chapek in making us pay more and more for everything. Quite the opposite. I want to make Disney’s latest class of animators and storytellers sweat. I want to put them back in a situation where they truly have to win our attention and not coast on supplemental views because some new mediocre show is free with subscriptions.

Let the fans only pay for what they really want. Then, like Amazon Prime, they can buy a new show or movie for a small, one-time payment and still pay their initial monthly rate.

Give Disney fans, that power, Mr. Iger, and I am confident you will quickly learn where the financial leaks are in the proverbial hull of SS Disney Entertainment.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this piece are the writer’s and may not reflect Disney Fanatic as a whole.