Credit: Inside the MagicDisney+ has introduced two new subscriber perks that provide real value beyond just streaming. This comes at a crucial time, as the platform works to retain subscribers after posting losses last year. The new benefits include six months of Calm Premium for free and a chance to win a Disney book bundle that features Wings of Starlight and an advance copy of Wings of Reverie, set to be released in August. These new perks add to existing offers available through March, such as a three-month trial of Spotify Premium and chances to win a free trip to Disneyland Resort. This creates a package that makes subscribing to Disney+ feel more like joining an exclusive club with real rewards.
The push for these subscriber perks shows that Disney understands it needs to offer more than just new content in the tough streaming market. After losing subscribers in 2024 and early 2025, Disney+ has changed its approach to focus on value beyond just the latest Marvel or Star Wars shows. When subscribers see they can access mental health tools, book bundles, music streaming, and potential vacation prizes, the monthly fee of $7.99 to $13.99 feels easier to justify, even during times when new content isn’t that exciting.
The Mental Health Play
The Calm Premium offer taps into anxieties that Pixar’s Inside Out 2 brought into sharp focus with its portrayal of the Anxiety character. Six months of free access to Calm, which bills itself as the number one app to help users sleep more and stress less with science-backed content and daily mental health support, addresses real needs beyond entertainment consumption. The offer remains valid through September 10, 2026, giving subscribers the flexibility to activate it when they’re ready, without forcing immediate use or losing the benefit.
This perk represents Disney acknowledging that subscribers are whole people with needs beyond content consumption. Mental health apps typically cost $69.99 annually for premium subscriptions, making six months of free access worth approximately $35 in real monetary value. That’s more than three months of Disney+ subscription costs, creating an actual financial incentive to maintain membership.
The timing also feels intentional, given broader cultural conversations about anxiety, stress management, and mental health. Disney can position itself as a company that cares about subscriber well-being beyond just keeping them glued to screens, which creates positive brand associations that extend beyond transactional streaming relationships.
The Book Bundle Sweepstakes
The Disney romantasy book bundle sweepstakes runs through 8:59 a.m. PT on February 19, 2026, with daily entry allowed for subscribers who want to maximize their chances. The bundle includes Wings of Starlight and an advance copy of Wings of Reverie before its August release, appealing to Disney fans who enjoy fantasy literature and want early access to upcoming titles.
Daily entry allowances encourage subscribers to return to the Disney+ platform regularly throughout the sweepstakes period rather than entering once and forgetting about it. That repeated engagement keeps Disney+ top of mind and increases the likelihood subscribers explore new content while visiting to enter the contest.
The romantasy genre has exploded in popularity over the past few years, particularly among young adult and adult readers who grew up with Disney but want more sophisticated storytelling. By offering book bundles in this genre, Disney acknowledges that its audience extends beyond just families with young children and includes adults who engage with Disney properties in different ways.
Previously Announced Disney Perks Still Available
Disney+ dropped additional perks in January that remain active and available for subscribers to claim. A free three-month trial of Spotify Premium can be activated through March 8, 2028, providing flexibility similar to the Calm offer. Spotify Premium typically costs $10.99 monthly, making three free months worth approximately $33 in value.
The sweepstakes to win a free trip to Disneyland Resort runs through February 19, offering the kind of high-value prize that creates excitement even among subscribers who understand their actual odds of winning are minimal. Disneyland vacations easily cost thousands of dollars for families, making the prize aspirational enough to generate genuine interest.
The Subscriber Retention Context
These perks arrive as Disney+ continues addressing subscriber challenges that intensified throughout 2024 and 2025. The platform experienced stalled growth and significant churn as subscribers felt overwhelmed by streaming service proliferation and monthly costs adding up across multiple platforms. Disney’s password-sharing crackdown forced many users who had been casually sharing accounts to either start paying for their own subscriptions or cancel entirely, creating additional retention pressure.
The holiday season saw Disney+ offering sweepstakes for exclusive prizes including stays at Aulani, VIP tours at The Walt Disney Studios, and expedition cruises. Those December perks ended December 29, strategically timed before New Year when subscribers might be reevaluating their streaming commitments and cutting expenses. The February perks continue that momentum, ensuring there’s always something beyond just content keeping subscribers engaged.
The Broader Strategy
Disney knows that former subscribers are an important audience. People who used to pay for Disney+ understood the platform and liked it enough to subscribe in the first place. To win them back, Disney needs to address the reasons they canceled, like not having enough new content, finishing shows, or feeling tired of subscriptions. Offering great perks can help bring them back by addressing these issues.
For current subscribers, exclusive benefits can add value and encourage them to stay. When you get Calm Premium, Spotify Premium, sweepstakes entries, and potential book bundles in addition to streaming content, the subscription feels like a better deal than just paying for Disney’s library.
This approach also builds emotional connections beyond just providing access to content. When subscribers feel they receive support for mental health, chances to win vacations, or early access to book releases, Disney+ becomes more than just another streaming service. It becomes a membership that offers benefits that enhance daily life outside of watching shows.
Taking Advantage of Current Disney Offers
For current Disney+ subscribers, claiming these perks requires visiting the perks portal within the Disney+ platform and activating offers before they expire. The Calm Premium offer runs through September 10, while the book bundle sweepstakes closes February 19. The Spotify Premium trial can be activated through March 8, 2028, and the Disneyland sweepstakes also ends February 19.
For lapsed subscribers considering whether to resubscribe, the combination of perks available through spring 2026 creates meaningful value proposition. Six months of Calm Premium alone nearly equals the cost of several months of Disney+ subscription, before even accounting for Spotify Premium trial or sweepstakes opportunities.
What This Signals for Disney
Disney+ is enhancing its appeal with an aggressive perks strategy, aiming to stand out amid intense streaming competition from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max. By offering benefits like access to a mental health app and music streaming trials, Disney+ is adding value that competitors lack.
This approach recognizes a shift in subscriber attitudes from the pandemic’s early days, where excitement for endless content has turned into subscription fatigue. By providing perks that offer real financial benefits or unique experiences, Disney+ aims to justify its subscription in users’ budgets, even during slower months without new releases.
The recent additions to the perks portal underline Disney+’s commitment to making membership valuable beyond just streaming content. While it remains to be seen if this strategy will retain subscribers long-term, offerings like six months of Calm Premium and chances to win book bundles give users tangible reasons to maintain their subscriptions.