Disney Plus' ad-free experience no longer ad-free for European subscribers

The new agreement says that Disney Plus Premium subscribers in the so-far affected regions agree to “advertisements before/after playback of Content and in channels, live/as-live, special events, and any third-party services content.” The agreement also specifies that paid “promotional content” and “sponsorships” may now also be part of your Disney viewing experience,  which sounds somewhat similar to the (confusingly worded) agreement Hulu introduced for its viewers last year.

While this new bit of boundary testing from one of the largest streaming services in the world doesn’t mean that your latest premium-tier viewing of Moana will be interrupted by commercials for Disney theme parks or other mouse-related programming, it does make way for pre- and post-programming advertisements, which viewers are now paying for in addition to their extra charge for “ad-free” viewing. (Those not springing for the more expensive tier plan won’t necessarily see more ads than they’re currently getting.) 

This all feels like a bit of test marketing from the Disney marketing department to see how much, if any, European subscribers will complain (or cancel) as the thin edge of the advertising wedge creeps into their enjoyment. So keep an eye on the next terms you’re asked to click on, American subscribers. And hold on to your DVDs.