“Disney, you have lost your mind”: Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN announce price hike just one week after boycotts

Disney increases prices on several of its streaming services, including Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN. The decision follows a mass boycott due to Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from ABC over his Charlie Kirk comments.

What’s behind Disney’s price increase?

In a video with over 405,000 views and counting, Hulu subscriber Marlena Rodriguez, @marlenajr, reports receiving an email stating that the price of her Hulu+ Live TV subscription will increase to $99 per month.

She asks in the video, “Is this a joke, or are you doing a bit? A bad, bad bit?”

According to an updated price list on Disney’s website, the prices of several plans will increase in October. The Daily Dot was able to confirm the price increase and messaging per its own inbox.

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle will go from $16.99 to $19.99 a month. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium will increase from $26.99 to $29.99. And Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle with No Ads will be bumped from $29.99 to $32.99.

Hulu Premium + Live TV, which the TikToker has, is increasing to $99.99 per month.

A price increase after boycotts?

The announcement of the price increase coincided with Disney-owned ABC’s announcement that Jimmy Kimmel would return after a brief suspension.

However, TikToker Marlena suspects that the price hike is due to the mass boycott that led thousands of Disney subscribers and fans to cancel their subscriptions to Disney-owned streaming services.

@marlenajr Cancelling harder than a gym membership in winter. Disney how DARE you. #disney #hulu #espn #price #cancel ♬ original sound – Marlena Rodriguez

“What am I supposed to do with this?” she asked. “Why on earth, after half of the universe cancelled their Hulu and Disney and all that [expletive] days ago, would you send you send an email like…”

“I cannot with this. Less and less people are watching TV than ever, and this is what you wanna do?” Rodriguez opined.

Celebrities like Noah Centineo jumped on the trend by posting a screenshot of his cancelled subscription, which some fans suspected was purchased the same day.

Some self-proclaimed Disney adults even cancelled planned vacations and cruises in protest of the company’s decision to bar Kimmel from his show.

What do viewers think of the price increase?

In the comments on TikTok, viewers criticize Disney for increasing prices to potentially recoup lost revenue from the boycott.

“I literally canceled everything yesterday, Disney+, Hulu, and Spotify, I’m so over these greedy assholes,” one writes.

“They want current subscribers to pay for their loss. Insane that Disney thinks this timing would work in their favor,” another says.

“Disney is crazy for this. Time to dust off the ol’ DVD player,” a third adds.

Others say the price increase led them to cancel, not the boycott.

“I actually wasn’t cancelling til I saw the price increase, then I did lol,” a commenter says.

“I love cable and didn’t cancel and now i absolutely have to. gonna switch to YouTube TV, I guess?” another writes.