What is Premier Access on Disney Plus? Explaining the 'experiment'
What is Premier Access? Is it the same thing as Disney Plus or a completely different service? Don't worry if you're confused - it's all a bit bewildering. Fortunately, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.
If you're one of the many people wondering, "what is Premier Access?", don't stress. Think of it like going to the cinema: Disney Plus is the theatre, and Premier Access is your ticket. That makes it home to brand-new movies like Cruella, which is launching simultaneously on Premier Access and in theaters this May 28. The same will be true for Black Widow on July 9.
To help you understand Premier Access, we've broken down everything you need to know about it below. Our guide will give you the lowdown on how to see Cruella for as little as possible, too.
What is Premier Access?
Premier Access is best described as an add-on to the Disney Plus streaming service. It allows you to watch new movies like Cruella for a one-off fee - $29.99 in the US, £19.99 in the UK, $34.99 in Canada, and $34.99 in Australia. However, you need to have an active Disney Plus sign-up first. More specifically, you cannot pay for or see Cruella unless you have a Disney Plus membership. Without one, there's no way of watching the movie.
How much does a Disney Plus subscription cost, then? Although there are numerous Disney Plus bundles to choose from, a single month of the service is your cheapest option. Get it now and one month of Disney Plus will set you back $7.99 in the US, £7.99 in the UK, and $11.99 in Canada or Australia. Because there's no binding contract, you can always cancel before being charged for the next month if you'd prefer to keep costs down (just remember, cancelling loses you access to anything you bought on Premier Access until you sign up again).
Here's the long and short of it, then - you'll be able to see Cruella as often as you like once you're a Disney Plus member and have paid for Premier Access. This makes its cost a little more palatable; if you're able and can do so safely, you could have a socially-distanced viewing party with your family or friends to justify the price.
The offer won't be available forever, though. Premier Access for Raya and the Last Dragon was removed after a month or two, so Cruella will almost certainly follow suit.
Is anything else available on Premier Access?
Simply put, nothing else is available through Premier Access - yet. However, that'll change soon. Black Widow is slated to arrive via the service and in theaters on the same day (July 9), while Jungle Cruise will appear in cinemas and on Premier Access this July 30.
It's unclear if anything else is going to make the jump to Premier Access during 2021, but never say never. Disney was emphatic that it wouldn't launch Black Widow in this way until now, for example. But here we are. Could we see Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings or Eternals make their debut on Premier Access as well? Time - and the global situation - will tell.
Even if more movies do turn up, you'll have to pay again anyway
Just don't think you'll automatically get them because you paid for Cruella or Black Widow. Even if more movies do turn up, you'll have to pay again anyway. As an example, anyone who bought Mulan Premier Access still had to pay for Raya and the Last Dragon Premier Access. That may seem harsh at first, but think of it like buying tickets to the cinema. You don't get to keep seeing films after buying one ticket.
You'll have a limited window in which to buy them, too. For instance, Mulan was removed a month or two after it launched. If you missed the boat, you had to wait until the film appeared on Disney Plus for free in December 2020. The same thing has happened with Raya. Once Cruella's had its day in the sun, Premier Access will disappear again until Black Widow lands.
Which devices can use Premier Access?
Any device that supports Disney Plus will support Premier Access and, by extension, Cruella. That list includes everything from smartphones to TVs, and some consoles are in the mix as well. We've got a full list for you below.
- Samsung or LG Smart TV
- PS4
- Xbox One
- Roku device
- Google Chromecast
- Apple TV
- Fire TV
- iOS/Android device
- Web browser
Will Cruella ever be free on Disney Plus?
Will Cruella ever be available for free on Disney Plus? Definitely. Much like Raya and the Last Dragon before it, Cruella is coming to Disney Plus a couple of months after it disappears from Premier Access. More precisely, all Disney Plus subscribers will be able to watch it from August 27 2021.
All Disney Plus subscribers will be able to watch it from August 27 2021
In other words, anyone on the fence about Premier Access (and those who aren't fussed about watching Cruella right away) are probably better to wait. Hold out for a few months and you'll be able to see the film as part of your standard Disney Plus membership.
It's likely to be the same story with Black Widow and Jungle Cruise. Once those movies have finished their theatrical run, they'll be pulled from Premier Access and won't appear again until they become available for all Disney Plus subscribers a couple of months later.
Premier Access deals
NOTE: A Disney Plus subscription (see deals here) is required to use Cruella Premier Access.
Premier Access deals for Cruella are now available, but costs vary depending on your region. We've listed a breakdown of these prices below, and you can pre-order the movie as we speak (so long as you've got an existing Disney Plus membership, that is).
Premier Access deals - USA
Premier Access | $29.99 one-off payment
NOTE: You need an active Disney Plus subscription ($7.99 per month, $79.99 for a year, or $13.99 p/m for Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus) to access this deal.
If you have a Disney Plus subscription already, you can get hold of Cruella by paying the one-off Premier Access fee of $29.99. This allows you to watch the movie as often as you like, and there's no expiry date - it's available to you so long as you've got an active Disney Plus sub.
Premier Access deals - Canada
Premier Access | $34.99 one-off payment
NOTE: You need an active Disney Plus subscription ($11.99 per month or $119.99 for a year) to access this deal.
For those of us with an active Disney Plus membership, all that needs to be done is pay the one-off Premier Access fee - this allows us to watch the film as often as we like. However, bear in mind that you'll only be able to buy Cruella through Premier Access for a month or so. Get a move on if you want to see it!
Premier Access deals - UK
Premier Access | £19.99 one-off payment
NOTE: You need an active Disney Plus subscription (£7.99 per month or £79.90 for a year) to access this deal.
Got an active Disney Plus subscription? All that's left to do in order to watch Cruella is buy Premier Access. Once that's out of the way, you can stream Cruella as often as you like so long as you've got a current Disney Plus membership - there's no limit or expiry date.
Premier Access deals - Australia
Premier Access | $34.99 one-off payment
NOTE: You need an active Disney Plus subscription ($11.99 per month or $119.99 for a year) to access this deal.
Once you've got a Disney Plus membership (any of them will do), all that's left in order to see Cruella is the Premier Access deal. With that out of the way, you can watch the film as soon as it launches this May 28.
Want to know whether the streaming service is worth your time? Be sure to check out our Disney Plus review for details. As for what's just arrived on the service, check out our guide to everything that's new on Disney Plus.
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