Disney is making the Hulu tile inside Disney+ feel more like a real home for Hulu subscribers. The company says in an official update that select eligible subscribers can now link a Hulu profile to Disney+, bringing Hulu watch history, My Stuff and recommendations into the Disney+ app.
The feature is starting with adult profiles on eligible Disney+, Hulu Bundle and Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Bundle subscriptions. Disney says the option will roll out to all bundle subscribers later this year.
What changes after linking
After a profile is linked, Hulu titles watched in the Hulu app should appear in Continue Watching on Disney+. Saved Hulu titles should also move into the Disney+ Watchlist. Recommendations will appear in the For You tab, and Hulu will keep its own hub in the Disney+ navigation.
Disney is also using the Disney+ app as an entry point for some Hulu-only subscribers. People with an eligible Hulu subscription can sign in with the same MyDisney login, stream Hulu content in Disney+ and see a small sample of Disney+ and ESPN programming.
Hulu is not disappearing yet
This move still points in an obvious direction. Disney wants more streaming time inside Disney+, especially as bundles become the main way it sells its apps. However, the company says all Hulu subscribers will continue to have access to the standalone Hulu app.
Disney also plans to test a live guide inside Disney+ for streams such as ABC News Live, Disney+ Playtime and ESPN networks for eligible subscribers. For streaming coverage beyond Disney and Hulu, follow Tech My Money’s entertainment section.
That matters for households where Hulu is the messy half of the bundle. If history, saved shows and recommendations follow the user into Disney+, the app can feel less like a catalog merger and more like one service. Still, Disney has to make the handoff clear. Streaming subscribers already deal with enough bundle math, passwords and app switching.
