Disney Plus Premier Access is a confusing disaster — and I hate it

Disney Plus Premier Access is a confusing disaster — and I hate it

Last weekend, while scrolling through Disney Plus and trying to decide which classic Spider-Man animated series to watch next, I stumbled upon a tile for Disney's live-action film Cruella.

The film stars Emma Stone, the villain first introduced in the classic animated feature "101 Doggies." Stone will have to work pretty hard to convince audiences that a woman who tries to turn an adorable puppy into a fur coat is anything but despicable, but the trailer makes the film look good.

In fact, "Cruella" looks like enough fun to pass a few hours, and I was just about to add it to my watch list. However, my interest was quickly squelched when I realized that it would be a Disney Plus Premiere Access film.

As a video-on-demand service, the Disney Plus Premier Access service is unappealing.

Almost a year and a half into the service, the streaming service seems to be leaping from strength to strength, but I am continually amazed that House of Mouse has so hamstrung this aspect of its service so much.

Before I get too passionate about why Premier Access is so enigmatic, I want to admit that I am clearly not in the target demographic for this service. As a childless 20-something, I don't see much bang for my buck when it comes to streaming with Disney Plus Premier Access.

For those who don't know, Premier Access is a service that allows you to purchase select new Disney releases digitally for a one-time payment of $30.

Films like "Mulan" and "Raya and the Last Dragon" were released this way and then appeared on Disney Plus, available to anyone with a subscription. This service targets families who want to see new releases without having to pay a theater fee.

So while the price of $30 is high for me, it's not the be-all and end-all. In the U.S., a movie theater ticket costs $15 at the cheapest place and $25 at the most expensive.

Disney Plus Premier Access is designed to appeal to families who would rather spend $30 to see a movie at home and buy snacks at the local supermarket. This makes sense, at least on paper.

However, the manner in which Disney introduced this service is puzzling.

What boggles the mind most about Premier Access is the films that Disney chose to debut on this service compared to those that were thrown straight into Disney Plus.

While "Mulan," "Raya and the Last Dragon," "Cruella," and "Black Widow" were selected for Premier Access, Pixar's animated masterpiece "Soul" and the studio's recent film "Luca" were immediately thrown straight into the streaming service's catalog at no additional charge. The decision will be made by whom? Who will make that decision?

You might suggest that Soul's straight-to-streaming release was designed to encourage core subscriptions to Disney Plus. However, I would argue that works like Mulan and Cruella may also promote subscriptions.

"Mulan" and "Raya and the Last Dragon" are the types of films I would not pay a theater fee to see, but there is added value in a streaming service that costs only a few dollars a month. It is the very definition of a movie I would only watch if I could access it as part of a service I already pay for.

"Soul" is the opposite: it's a movie I would pay $30 to see. I don't understand why Disney offered this for free. But in the end it was a good thing for me because I was able to see the films I wanted to see without having to pay extra.

Next to "Cruella" to be added to Premiere Access is Marvel Studios' "Black Widow". Though I hope (by the time it opens in July) to be able to enjoy it in a theater chair, not on the couch.

The biggest sticking point regarding premiere access. Not only does Disney make us aware that these films will eventually appear on regular Disney Plus, but they actively promote that fact.

When "Raya and the Last Dragon" (and "Mulan" before it) became available on Disney Plus Premier Access, I only had to read the on-screen text to know that the film would be added to the service's regular catalog on June 4. Even if I had been interested enough in this film to pay $30 to watch it, if I had been told that I would have to wait a few months before I could access it at no additional cost, any possibility of an impulse purchase would have disappeared in an instant.

Of course, some families would be in trouble if they paid the fee the day before the Disney Plus Premier Access movie appeared on Disney Plus. I just wonder why Disney Plus would put the arrival date of the movie up front. Revealing the date in advance means that one could cancel their Disney Plus account until then and just wait.

Yes, we all know that at some point in the future the movies I pay to see in theaters or rent on VOD will be available on some service I may have already paid for. But usually we are not given a definite date. Once we have a date circled on the calendar, it becomes a lot easier to wait for it.

There are whispers in the industry that the Premier Access program is not a big number for Disney Plus ("Black Widow" may change that). I myself am not going to miss it at all.

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