Success of 'Loki' Alters Disney+ Release Dates For All Shows

Many Disney fans have gotten into a Friday routine where they would get comfy on their couch after their workweek has come to an end, grab the popcorn, and turn on Disney+ to watch the latest episode of whatever original series was debuting.

From The Mandalorian to WandaVision and more, Disney fans have gotten used to the idea that they would be receiving new Disney content on Fridays. However, on June 9, Loki, Marvel’s latest series, broke that cycle by debuting on a Wednesday to immense success. The show’s premiere has the highest number of viewers on the first day compared to any original Disney+ series.

Because of that success, Disney has decided to re-route their release date plans. Starting in July, all Disney+ original series will drop new episodes on Wednesdays instead of Fridays. This news comes from The Hollywood Reporter:

Sources say the shift is designed to accommodate the increased volume of original content on Disney+. The Wednesday schedule is strictly for original series — meaning The Mandalorian and other Star Wars and Marvel TV series; original movies will continue to bow on Fridays on the streamer.

Considering other streaming platforms such as Netflix also followed a Friday release schedule, many viewers had to spend their weekends choosing which platform got their attention first. By moving away from this, Disney avoids competing with their competition and can now dominate the weekday market. They also allow their original movies to shine on weekends as the release schedule for those will remain on Fridays.

Below, you can find a list of all the updated Disney+ original show release schedules:

• Monsters at Work from July 2 to July 7
• Turner & Hooch from July 16 to July 21
• Behind the Attraction from July 16 to July 21
• Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life from July 23 to July 28
• Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts from July 30 to July 28
• The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse batch 2 from July 30 to July 28
• Growing Up Animal from Aug. 20 to Aug. 18
• Short Circuit season two from July 30 to Aug. 4

Of course, Disney can always swap their release dates back to Fridays or any other day of the week based on audience demand. Personally, I like that the release dates have moved to Wednesday, as it is a great way to break up the work week and follows the more classic television release schedule. Typically, network shows which received a Friday slot would not be the most popular as many people like to make plans Friday night as that is the start of the weekend.

Considering Disney+ has lived most of its life through the pandemic, a time when going out on a Friday became a thing of the past, the Friday release became something to look forward to at the end of the week. Now, as we approach summer and as the state of the pandemic continues to improve in the U.S. with vaccination rollout, it is possible that we could see a lower Friday evening engagement on streaming platforms, as opposed to mid-week. That being said, those are purely my thoughts and speculation on the subject.

It will be interesting to see if this schedule sticks around and remains successful.

Do you prefer a Wednesday or Friday release date for television shows on Disney+?