Disney Plus got off to a strong start on Tuesday by tossing Canadian viewers a bone B次元官网网址� and it wasnB次元官网网址檛 just a remake of B次元官网网址淟ady and the Tramp.B次元官网网址�

The Walt Disney CompanyB次元官网网址檚 new subscription platform unveiled a comprehensive offering of nearly 500 films and 7,500 episodes of TV shows, and the lineup almost mirrored what was available on the same-day launch in the United States.

For a country thatB次元官网网址檚 spent years paying for what many feel is a lesser Netflix Canada, and waited patiently for other U.S. streaming competitors to shuffle into the Canadian market, the practically seamless reveal of the Disney Plus selection was a welcome revelation, said media and technology analyst Carmi Levy.

B次元官网网址淲e are getting largely what our American neighbours are getting for a roughly similar price,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭here are almost no drawbacks to being a Canadian here B次元官网网址� youB次元官网网址檙e finally getting what youB次元官网网址檝e been hoping for.B次元官网网址�

And whether youB次元官网网址檙e interested in MarvelB次元官网网址檚 blockbusters B次元官网网址淐aptain MarvelB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淒octor StrangeB次元官网网址� or older films such as Bette Midler comedy B次元官网网址淏ig Business,B次元官网网址� almost all of the titles available on Disney Plus match on both sides of the border.

There are a small number of exceptions, though, such as B次元官网网址淗igh School Musical 2,B次元官网网址� and Marvel TV series B次元官网网址淴-Men: EvolutionB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淩unaways,B次元官网网址� which are not streamable in Canada.

Some newer titles, such as B次元官网网址淐ocoB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淏lack Panther,B次元官网网址� are still locked up under agreements with Netflix, which means they show up in searches and seem to be on Disney Plus, until you try to play them. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when Disney tells you that B次元官网网址渄ue to existing agreementsB次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e coming soon.

A couple years ago, easy access to entertainment would have been unthinkable because the rights to TV and films were locked in a complicated web of negotiations and long-term deals.

The old way of licensing rights worked by territories, and a distributor such as Disney or Warner Bros. would sign agreements that locked up packs of their titles with a broadcaster or streamer. When the streaming industry developed, those deals became a competitive setback because it only built walls around the programming.

For instance, a popular show like B次元官网网址滱merican Horror StoryB次元官网网址� would be available on Netflix in the U.S., but tied up in a different agreement for Canada, which meant Netflix couldnB次元官网网址檛 carry it here.

Disney is among the entertainment industry giants thatB次元官网网址檚 spent the past decade pulling back those rights with an eye on launching its own streaming platform. The company also spent billions buying up other valuable Hollywood businesses with their own stockpiles of entertainment B次元官网网址� in particular 20th Century Fox earlier this year.

The goal is to emerge from the ongoing battle for viewership dollars with a dominant position, but with it Disney gets more control over its own titles and how much it charges to access them.

In Canada, Disney Plus costs $8.99 per month, or $89.99 per year, for a vast selection of offerings from DisneyB次元官网网址檚 many brands, which include Pixar, Marvel and National Geographic. ThereB次元官网网址檚 also an array of original shows and films, including the Star Wars spinoff TV series B次元官网网址淭he Mandalorian,B次元官网网址� an episodic update to B次元官网网址淗igh School Musical,B次元官网网址� and that remake of B次元官网网址淟ady and the Tramp.B次元官网网址�

The streaming service also comes stacked with an extensive library of Disney titles, which range from animated classics B次元官网网址淭he Lion KingB次元官网网址� to Disney TV movies from decades past, and selections from the Fox library, including B次元官网网址淣ever Been Kissed,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淭he Sound of MusicB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淗ome Alone.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nothing short of a broadside against Netflix,B次元官网网址� Levy said of DisneyB次元官网网址檚 biggest competitor, which is constantly beefing up its own B次元官网网址渙riginal contentB次元官网网址� arsenal.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e coming in with competitive pricing, but more importantly the kind of content that literally no one else can match.B次元官网网址�

Fellow newcomer Apple used a similar strategy to Disney on a smaller scale in early November. Apple TV Plus, its new worldwide streaming platform, only carries programs Apple owns, turning the iPhone company into a Hollywood producer.

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But launching a streaming service involves more than just beefing up content, as became clear on Tuesday morning when Disney Plus began to experience an array of problems that left many new subscribers locked out of their accounts or facing various technical glitches.

Some posted screenshots of error messages that showed characters from DisneyB次元官网网址檚 animated movies B次元官网网址淲reck-It RalphB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淩alph Breaks the Internet.B次元官网网址�

Other users in several regions of Canada said they received error messages which blocked them from the service, telling them they lived outside the countries where Disney Plus was available.

A representative for Disney provided a written statement on the widespread problems on its highly anticipated launch date, but did not address the specific technical glitch.

B次元官网网址淭he consumer demand for Disney Plus has exceeded our high expectations,B次元官网网址� wrote spokesman Peter Pitino.

B次元官网网址淲e are pleased by this incredible response and are working to quickly resolve the current user issue. We appreciate your patience.B次元官网网址�

Disney is banking on its appeal out of the gate, with Disney Plus launching in North America across nearly all major mobile and connected TV devices. ThatB次元官网网址檒l give viewers an opportunity to sign up whether they use Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku or Sony products.

Viewers can sample the service with a free seven-day trial.

David Friend, The Canadian Press

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