The highly anticipated launch at Disney+ was met with a few hiccups, as fan demand for the service was so high that the newborn streaming service crashed for many excited Disney+ subscribers. According to CNN, instead of sorting through all of the content that Disney+ offered, subscribers found themselves watching Wreck it Ralph breaking the news to them that the server was experiencing difficulties. And if not Wreck It Ralph delivering the news, viewers were greeted by Mickey Mouse and Pluto as astronauts gazing off into space which was also sign of Disney+’s error. These difficulties can be seen as both a blessing and a curse for Disney+, as the technical mishaps are a testament to how much demand there is for the product. A Disney spokesperson responded to the frustration surrounding the issues by saying, “The consumer demands for Disney+ has exceeded our high expectations. We are pleased by this incredible response and are working to quickly resolve the current user issue. We appreciate your patience.”
There are many reasons why the excitement of fans might have overwhelmed Disney+, namely the amount of content available at the streaming service’s initial launch. Disney+ opened up with Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian, a project that has had over two years worth of hype and expectations surrounding it since the eve of its announcement. Disney+ also featured on Launch day classic titles like Gargoyles, Darkwing Duck, Recess, and many other television shows from Disney’s legendary vault that drove traffic to the service. The high demand in Disney +’s content is showing its competitors, such as Netflix and soon to be HBO Max, that it has more than enough support to engage in the streaming wars. Especially since with so many options to choose from, brand loyalty might be more important than ever, as how much consumers are willing to pay for all of these streaming services may come into play in the near future, forcing subscribers to pick a side.