Disney+ Sets 500-Clip Target and Plans a Free Streaming Tier

By Sophie Lindqvist

Disney plans 500 new vertical clips a day on Disney+ by the end of next quarter, up from about 150 a day this quarter, according to screenshots of an internal presentation reviewed by Business Insider.

The deck sets priorities for Disney's fiscal 2027, which began in October. At a town hall late last week, technology leaders, including product management vice president Dave Lindsay, presented the streaming roadmap to employees. Some employees used the meeting to press management about a possible next round of layoffs, placing product priorities alongside workforce uncertainty.

CEO Josh D'Amaro wants Disney+ to become the company's “digital centerpiece” and compete more directly with paid streamers, YouTube and social platforms. Nielsen measured Disney's streaming services at 4.8% of US television viewing in August, compared with 15.8% for YouTube and 7.7% for Netflix.

Disney's share was more than twice that of rivals Paramount+ and Peacock. Those comparisons make reach and viewing frequency the practical measures behind the free-tier, short-form and live-event plans.

What changes in the next quarter?

The vertical-video schedule creates a clear production cadence: about 150 clips per day this quarter, then 500 by the end of next quarter, which ends in early April. The deck calls for new content types every quarter, including sports, news, short-form micro series and micro dramas. The strategy also seeks younger viewers accustomed to YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

For viewers, that means a larger daily supply of short material within Disney+ rather than relying only on browsing its catalog.

Creator content is planned for integration next quarter, in early 2027. It will sit alongside Disney's studio programming, including a curated feed of user-generated content under a TikTok deal announced in early August.

What would the free plan include?

The proposed “Free Plan” and “free experience” include “FAST channel creation” and “content sampling.” FAST means free, always-on, advertising-supported streaming channels, a format popularized by Pluto TV and The Roku Channel. Disney+ already offers a few always-on channels to paid subscribers, including channels for Disney princesses and Pixar films.

Their playback pattern differs from on-demand viewing: viewers join a program or film in progress instead of selecting it and starting from the beginning. “Sampling” would expose some Disney+ content without a subscription, a feature Disney had discussed previously. The proposal remains a work in progress.

Paramount+ is also considering a free tier, while Tubi and YouTube have attracted audiences as established streamers raise prices. For users, the free option would separate access from the paid catalog: some titles would play without a subscription, while advertising-supported channels would remain available.

How will live events change delivery?

Disney+ will livestream the Super Bowl in the US for the first time in mid-February, which the presentation called a major “tentpole” moment. Its livestream priorities are explicit: live 4K HDR, lower latency, scale, live-event monitoring and live-content security.

Together, these controls aim to deliver the game to millions with high-quality, lag-free images while limiting piracy. Peacock, Paramount+ and Tubi have streamed Super Bowl coverage from NBC, CBS and Fox, respectively.

What does Hulu integration change?

Disney continues a multi-phase, yearslong effort called “Project Gemini” to bring Hulu content and features into Disney+. CEO Josh D'Amaro said in August that the project would “deepen engagement” and “increase lifetime fan value.”

The presentation gives no target date for complete integration. Its roadmap lists “One App Milestones” through Disney's fiscal fourth quarter, which runs from early July to early October, but does not define those milestones or explain whether completing them would mean a finished app. Business Insider reported in May that Project Gemini had been scheduled to conclude by the end of 2026.

The unified app is part of a broader “super app” in which users can play games and buy merchandise without leaving the streamer. D'Amaro told employees in August that interactive features could increase time spent and make subscribers less likely to cancel, while shopping could direct revenue to other Disney businesses.

Disney plans to introduce elements of this expanded ecosystem in the spring. The decisive test will come as Disney measures whether a higher clip cadence, ad-supported entry and a unified catalog change viewing frequency and subscriber retention. The presentation sets delivery targets, but not the outcome metrics or launch dates needed to verify that effect.