Credit: Disney+If you have ever wondered why Disney+ purchases have not counted towards some of your credit card point systems, there seems to be a reason for it, and Disney is at fault.
Since its inception and through the pandemic, we have seen Disney+ shine as one of the financially viable aspects of the Walt Disney World company. Thanks to Disney+, Disney found a way to continue acquiring customers through subscribers, all while their theme parks remained either closed or under a tight capacity limit.
While the parks worldwide were shut down, and with many being stuck in a lockdown, Disney fans needed something to consume that would entertain them during these unprecedented times. With Disney+ on the horizon, it was the perfect time for the streaming platform to shine. Instantly, Disney+ became the go-to streaming platform for many, with the platform gunning for Netflix’s top spot after only starting up a year prior.
We have seen fantastic TV series sprout from the streaming service, which is now one of the company’s biggest sources of revenue. The amount of Marvel shows that have been binged from WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki — which debuted as the most-watched premiere — and What If…?, as well as Star Wars content like the incredibly popular The Mandalorian has proven one thing to Disney — viewers want more.
With all of this success came a ton of subscribers, most of which set up a recurring payment. Now, Disney+ users are starting to realize that their recurring payments are not building them the rewards that other recurring payments do. One subscriber asked, “Got a CC that gives 4% back to recurring bills. Disney seems to be intentionally using the wrong merchant code to avoid customers getting cash back. Any ideas which code they are using?” Although no one else was able to explain the code, the user was suggested to go to his bank and ask them to try and see why they are not able to benefit from his recurring subscription the way that they are with other companies.
Disney does have their own Visa card, which likely supports purchases within its application, Disney+.
If you have been expecting rewards on your credit card payments of Disney+, be sure to double-check to see if they are being applied.
Disney Guests at Walt Disney World have also been complaining as of late after price hikes. Disney is now looking to get money from their Guests any way they can, including offering enticing discounts for what many would consider to be costly experiences. As of late, we have seen attendance drop at Walt Disney World, and with this drop has come financial incentives to get more Guests to visit and spend more after prices have dramatically increased.
Disney World Annual Passholders of all tiers (Disney Pixie Dust Pass, Disney Pirate Pass, Disney Sorcerer Pass, Disney Incredi-Pass) recently were able to experience V.I.Passholder days where they received 30% off most merchandise, further food discounts, and a private Annual Passholder lounge which offered speciality food for purchase themed to Figment and nearly expired M&M’s.
When the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser began having issues getting more Guests to pay the nearly $6000.00 price tag for the two-night voyage, Disney also started offering discounts. In fact, one of the discount offerings was given to DVC members at first before also expanding to Cast Members and other Guests. The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will take its final voyage on September 28, 2023.
Now, Disney is offering another incentive to Disney Vacation Club Members. Disney Vacation Club Members will be eligible for Membership to save 20% on a Disney VIP Tour at Walt Disney World Resort later this summer. Disney VIP Tours are fantastic ways to conquer the Disney Parks.
Perhaps this change will also come for Disney+ subscribers who are looking to earn points on their non-Disney credit cards for their purchases through the company, now that it is no longer as successful as it once was…
Future of Disney+
Although Disney+ saw a spike in subscribers during the pandemic, that luck has since shifted.
As part of The Walt Disney Company’s Q2 earnings report of 2023, the company is reporting a major loss on its streaming platform. Disney+ reportedly lost a total of four million subscribers in Q2 of 2023. This does not bode well for Disney, especially when considering this downward trend that started back in its Q1 earnings report. The streaming platform’s huge loss was partially down to the streamer’s Disney+ Hotstar offering in India and Southeast Asia losing the Indian Premier League (IPL) rights for the massive cricket nation.
At one point, What If…? Season 2, Loki Season 2, Secret Invasion, Ironheart, Echo, and Agatha: Coven of Chaos were all rumored to release this year. That full list proved to not be the case. On top of that, we have seen full projects like National Treasure get cut.
As we mentioned, Disney+ is currently in the midst of a historic content purge, which has garnered the attention of fans from around the world. Disney removed more than 50 titles from both Disney+ and Hulu, including dozens of full-length films and series, in an attempt to cut costs.
Disney+ cut two Marvel shows, and some of titles have vanished from the streaming service, even though they were created for Disney+ initially. These include the likes of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Willow, The Mighty Ducks, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Hulu was also hit hard when it dumped Dollface, Little Demon, The Quest, and Y: The Last Man.
What do you think about Disney+ keeping a code on subscription payments?
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