The Best Disney+ Free Trial Hacks and Subscription Deals
Disney+ dropped its site-based free trial back in 2020, but The Hollywood Reporter's 2026 shopping guide sets out several workarounds and bundle deals for shoppers looking to access the streamer more cheaply. These include free access through partner services such as DirecTV and Verizon, as well as discounted multi-platform bundles combining Disney+ with Hulu, ESPN and HBO Max.
The standout offer comes via any of DirecTV's four Signature TV packages, which include the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN bundle and a five-day free trial, after which Disney+ remains included at no extra cost. Verizon's 5G Do More and 5G Start unlimited plans include six free months of ad-free Disney+ Premium, auto-renewing at $18.99 monthly thereafter. Disney+ alone starts at $11.99 a month, but bundling with Hulu costs the same initially (rising to $12.99 after six months), while the Disney+/Hulu/HBO Max trio starts at $19.99 (a 42 percent saving) and the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN trio at $35.99 (33 percent off). Hulu + Live TV, which includes Disney+ and ESPN+, retains a three-day free trial before plans start at $89.99 monthly; Disney+ does not offer a student discount.
- Disney+ has no direct free trial, but partner deals exist
- DirecTV Signature packages offer five free days plus Disney+
- Verizon plans include six months free; various bundles cut costs
New here? Start with this
Disney+ has never made it easy to try before you buy: the platform scrapped its direct free trial back in 2020, so anyone hoping to sample the service before paying has had to look for workarounds ever since. Streaming bundles and deals have since become a bigger part of how services like Disney+ are marketed, often through partnerships with phone and TV providers rather than the streamer itself.
The Hollywood Reporter, a long-running entertainment industry publication, regularly publishes consumer shopping guides pointing readers towards current offers. In this case, that means routes into Disney+ via providers such as DirecTV and Verizon, plus bundle packages that combine Disney+ with other services including Hulu, ESPN and HBO Max at a reduced combined price.
This matters to readers simply because streaming costs have been rising and multiplying, with households often juggling several subscriptions at once. Guides like this are aimed at helping people find cheaper or trial-based ways into a popular service, rather than reporting on any change to Disney+ itself.