Disney Plus

And the time has finally arrived.

Disney Plus has been released in the UK.  Last month, a deal was released to get a whole year's subscription to the streaming service for only £49.99.  I snapped this up as it seemed too good an offer to miss.

And last Tuesday, the service dropped on to my phone and Xbox.  Almost immediately, I was browsing the areas to see what delights were available.

The Disney film selection is impressive - not just the official Disney canon (up to Toy Story 4) but lots of the live action films such as Treasure Island, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, The Love Bug, The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday.  Song of the South (and So Dear to My Heart) are missing (which due to the well-known controversy is understandable) but, oddly, Make Mine Music also seems to be omitted.  There is also a wide range of DisneyNature films included.

Every Marvel and Star Wars film is included (except for The Rise of Skywalker) is accessible along with a huge array of series linked to these including the original X Men cartoon (nostalgia overload) and more recent spin-offs such as Star Wars Rebels and, most excitingly, The Mandalorian.

The Disney Channel is well represented with Kim Possible, the Wizards of Waverley Place, Zack and Cody and the High School Musical canon.  'Disney Afternoon' is also covered with Darkwing Duck, Rescue Rangers and, joy of joys, Adventures of the Gummi Bears.

There's also a huge range of shorts from The Three Little Pigs and Steamboat Willie, right through to Mater's Tall Tales and the Toy Story 4 short - Lamp Life.

Beyond Disney there are also a huge range of films including Mrs Doubtfire, Cheaper by the Dozen and Avatar as well as content from National Geographic and other documentaries original to Disney Plus such as Encore and the World According to Jeff Goldblum.

There is so much excellent content, both original and retro which is going to keep us entertained for this year and, probably, way beyond.

With the world currently suffering from the pandemic crisis, Disney Plus has been a little ray of sunshine for which I am hugely grateful.