by Thinus Ferreira
Besides a browser on a computer screen, Disney+ will immediately be available on several devices when the video streaming service launches in South Africa on 18 May, with different options to pay - but a little exclusionary catch with its early-bird special.
With a monthly subscription fee of R119 (or R1 190 as a cheaper, once-off annual payment), Disney+ will be accessible to a South Africa subscriber at launch with up to four different streams which will be available on up to four different devices at the same time.
There is also a once-off early sign-up offer of R950 for Disney+ in South Africa, but in order to get this, people who are interested must register before 18 May at www.disneyplus.com, click on "Register Now", and then wait for an emailed link or code that will be sent on the launch day to the email address or cellphone number that was used to register.
Both the early-bird as well as normal subscriptions for Disney+ will start, and can first be done, on and from 18 May.
The payment for the early-bird introductory special price comes with one payment catch however, that is highlighted further down in this article.
Once Disney+ is in South Africa, subscribers will be able to access the streamer on a computer running Chrome OS, Mac OS, or a Windows PC. Disney+ will also be viewable on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets like iPhones, iPads, as well as Android phones and tablets.
On these devices, Disney+ will work on the iPhone and iPad iOS 11.0 and above, and on Android phones and tablets with OS version 4.4.4 or above.
To watch on their personal computers (PCs), Disney+ subscribers will need Chrone75+ on Windows 7 and later, Edge on Windows 10 and later, and Firefox 75+ on Windows 7 and later.
For Mac users, the requirements to get access to the Disney+ magic are Safari 11+ on macOS 10.12 (Sierra) and later, Chrome 75+ on macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) and later, and Firefox 75+ on macOS 10.9 (Mavericks) and later.
For Disney+-users looking for a big(ger) screen experience in the living room, Disney+ will be accessible as an app on LG smart TV sets, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Chromecast.
For living room and connected devices, a Disney+ subscriber will need Android TV OS 7.0 and above, Apple TV (Gen 4 and above), or Chromecast Gen 2 with Firmware version 1.43+. LG TV sets must have WebOS 4.0 and above.
Credit cards and gift cards
In order to pay for Disney+, South Africans will be able to use Visa, MasterCard and American Express (Amex) credit cards and debit cards.
People without credit or debit cards - or who don't want to use them - will also be able to purchase their Disney+ subscriptions through the Apple app store and Google Play store. Both Apple app and Google Play gift cards are available at various South African retailers - you see them hanging at checkout till points or wherever gift cards are sold.
Disney+ however cautions that the introductory offer - the R950 for an annual subscription if you register your interest before 18 May - will not be redeemable or payable through in-app purchases. This means that you won't be able to use a Google Play or Apple gift card to pay for the R950 subscription fee.
With Disney+ which will also be available on MultiChoice's DStv Explora Ultra decoders - and perhaps be free for certain DStv subscribers like DStv Premium customers - it's also very likely that lower-tiered DStv subscribers will get the option to get access to Disney+ by paying for the add-on through adding the subscription fee to their existing monthly DStv subscription fee in rand.
MultiChoice has not yet publicly stated which DStv subscribers will get Disney - or for free - or how it will work, but paying through MultiChoice as an add-in on the existing DStv invoice will be another payment option.
