Disney+ relies on technology developed by Disney Streaming, which was originally established as BAMTech in 2015 when it was spun off from MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM).

Following the purchase, ESPN announced plans for an "exploratory [over-the-top] project" based on its technology (ESPN+) to supplant its existing linear television services.

First, Disney needed to verify exactly what content could be physically and legally made available through a streaming service right away, which meant physically reviewing all content in Disney's vaults that had not recently undergone restoration, and reviewing "binders of pieces of paper with legal deals" to identify potential obstacles.

[13] Second, Chu met with leaders of Disney's various content-producing divisions to start brainstorming which projects would be appropriate for release on a streaming service rather than in movie theaters.

[21][22] In January 2019, Fox Television Group COO Joe Earley was named executive vice president of marketing and operations.

[24] In August 2019, Luke Bradley-Jones was hired as senior vice president of direct to consumer and general manager of Disney+ for Europe and Africa.

[38] On November 18, 2019, an investigation by ZDNet discovered that thousands of users' accounts were hacked using keystroke logging or info-stealing malware.

Their email addresses and passwords were changed, "effectively taking over the account and locking the previous owner out", and their login information was put up for sale on the dark web.

[51] In August 2022, it was announced that the combined total of subscribers across all Disney streaming platforms including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ had surpassed Netflix with roughly 221 million.

[59] However, on September 26, 2023, it was revealed that six of the removed original films: Crater, Better Nate Than Ever, Flora & Ulysses, The One And Only Ivan, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made and the 2022 remake of Cheaper by the Dozen were released for purchase on multiple digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Vudu and Google Play, a move that some considered as historic and unconventional for a streaming service.

[64] In March 2024, Disney+ debuted an updated teal logo design, which Jess Weatherbed at The Verge believed was preparation for the service's integration with Hulu.

[65] The new animated logo for the streamer to serve as its splash screen and to open original series and films was also revealed that same month, with a short orchestral theme composed by Ludwig Göransson.

[74] On October 22, 2024, following a similar policy previously implemented by Netflix and Spotify, Disney announced that in-app subscriptions for Disney+ and Hulu through the Apple App Store on iOS will no longer be accepted.

Captain Marvel, Dumbo (2019) and Avengers: Endgame became the first theatrically released Disney films to stream exclusively on Disney+ within the pay-cable window.

[92][93] Despite being available at launch, at least five films—Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Ice Age and Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties—had been temporarily removed from the service in the United States.

[106][107] Some films were modified by Disney: a post-credits scene from Toy Story 2 was edited out;[108] nudity was eliminated from Splash by adding digital hair, blurring and cropping certain scenes, although the original uncensored theatrical version was restored to the service in 4K in November 2022;[109][110][g] films such as Adventures in Babysitting, Free Solo and Hamilton are altered to remove profanities;[h] The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967) was edited to remove racial slurs, and the short film Santa's Workshop (1932) was edited to remove a "stereotypical black doll".

[114][115][116][117][i] Starting in October 2020, a 12-second content disclaimer informing viewers of racially insensitive scenes plays before some older Disney films—including Peter Pan, Dumbo, Swiss Family Robinson, Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book, Aladdin (alongside the two direct-to-video sequels) and The Aristocats.

[121] X-Men: Days of Future Past, which was released by 20th Century Fox on May 23, 2014, contains both nudity and the word "fuck", began airing uncensored in mid-2020.

[122] Some series are missing episodes, including Darkwing Duck, The Little Mermaid, The Proud Family, Phineas and Ferb, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends,[123][j] The Muppet Show,[124][k] and The Simpsons,[125][d] among other programs.

Original Marvel series include WandaVision and its spin-offs Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (later named to Agatha All Along) and Vision Quest, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye and its spin-off Echo, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again and Wonder Man.

[149] On February 26, 2023, Disney+ broadcast live in Japan the solo ice show Gift, the first figure skating event to be held at Tokyo Dome, produced and performed by two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.

[152] On October 1, 2023, Disney+ returned to live sports when it, along with ESPN+, aired an animated version of an NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Atlanta Falcons.

[156] Since June 26, 2024, in Latin America and Caribbean the whole ESPN content (sports live events and TV shows) began being available on Disney+ after its merger with Star+.

[158] A second feature film, Raya and the Last Dragon, was offered through the Premier Access model on March 5, 2021, the same day as its theatrical release,[159] and was made available for all users on June 4.

Content co-produced with Disney's European subsidiaries, such as Zagtoon's Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir and Ghostforce, Hasbro Entertainment's Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes and PJ Masks; Banijay Kids & Family's The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti and Samka Studios' Vikingskool are also available on Disney+ in several territories worldwide.

[170] While the deal only concerns the United States, titles from Sony Pictures begun to also be added to Disney+ in regions outside of the U.S., as early as June 2022, starting with the majority of the Spider-Man films.

[190] A substantial amount of content is available in Hindi, Indonesian, Thai, Malay, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi languages on the Indian and select Southeast Asian countries counterpart, Disney+ Hotstar.

Joe Rice, vice president of media product at Disney Streaming Services, added that these adjustments "opens up a number of exciting opportunities for novel ways of presenting content in the future.

It is available on web browser, mobile app, smart TVs and connected TV devices in the United States, and later expanded to Europe in 2020.

[223] Few months later, Disney+ service expanded in Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Greenland[270] on September 15, 2020;[228] and in Latin America and the Caribbean on November 17, 2020.