Disney+ Adding Concession Stands? It's True!

In 2019, just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic pretty much shut down the entire world, Disney dove headfirst into the streaming game with the launch of its own streaming platform, Disney+.

Sure, Disney was already part of streaming with its controlling interest in Hulu, but Disney+ was the ultimate spot where subscribers could enjoy their favorite Disney films and television shows, both new and old. Disney also created a bunch of original content, making Disney+ a great way to binge.

Related: Popular Children’s Show Leaving Netflix, Heading to Disney+

Disney+ is now available in 150 countries and territories and has more than 120 million subscribers. It’s not the largest streaming service in the world, but its subscribers are dedicated and enjoy not only classic Disney but also new shows like Andor and Goosebumps.

Now, here’s a big question for you: Have you ever been relaxing on the couch, enjoying your Disney programming, saw something on the screen, and thought, “That’s really cool, I would like to have that,” or maybe, “That snack looks really good, I’d like to try it,”?

Well, soon, you’ll be able to do just that!

Related: Following Bob Iger’s Latest Deal, Fan-Favorite Series Cut From Disney+

Disney recently announced that it would be teaming up with the ad-tech startup Shopsense and the delivery service Gopuff to add virtual concession stands and storefronts to Disney+.

Here’s more information from Variety:

Disney hopes to meld streaming and selecting by adding new virtual “storefronts” to its popular broadband venues that will allow viewers to order snacks or pick out products they’ve seen in their favorite shows, all while continuing to keep their binge on. Subscribers will be able to access them by clicking through when prompted by specific interactive ads The company is the latest to experiment with ways to harness the interactive nature of streaming, which allows viewers to control their experience with a few clicks of their remote.

Related: Disney+ Subscribers Threaten to Cancel Over “Ridiculous” Problem

According to Disney, viewers will be able to use Shopsense and Gopuff to purchase items tied to the movies, series, and sports programs they like to watch.

“I’m excited to see streaming ads finally being optimized for streaming, rather than just replicating the linear experience,” said Jamie Power, senior vice president of addressable sales for Disney, in a statement. “Advertisers are recognizing the shift. By connecting retail media signals to our content, we’re helping brands create more personal, actionable and measurable experiences — enabling shoppable storytelling and delivering solutions that truly move the needle.

Disney is not the first studio to try this type of advertising and purchasing options. Both Paramount and NBCUniversal offered similar experiences during the MTV Movie Awards and the 2024 Parisian Olympic Games.

Disney has not announced when this service will go into effect, but Inside the Magic will keep readers updated as we learn more!

Are you excited to be able to purchase products and snacks related to some of your favorite Disney shows and movies? Do you think this is something a lot of subscribers will be interested in, or will it largely be a waste of time? Let us know your thoughts on Disney+’s new concession stand and storefronts in the comments!