Number Crunch

Disney+ Hit Its 4-Year Subscriber Target in 16 Months

The streaming service is going to infinity and beyond

100 million: That’s the number of subscribers Disney+ has gained in just 16 months, per CNBC.

Prior to its launch in November 2019, Disney’s streaming service stated its goal of acquiring between 60 million and 90 million subscribers by 2024, a goal it has already blown past. The company’s revised goal for 2024? Reaching 230 million to 260 million subscribers.

To understand what a feat this is for Disney, consider the fact that it took Netflix 10 years to reach the 100 million subscriber milestone. (Netflix crossed the 200 million mark in January.) Of course, Disney has several advantages that Netflix didn’t, like a long-established brand in family entertainment and a vast library of popular franchises, like Star Wars and Marvel. Plus, Disney has had the benefit of launching a family-themed streaming service during a pandemic, when schools have been closed and families have been desperate for ways to entertain themselves at home.