Daniella Benitez ’22 never anticipated a chance to use her passion to inspire others, let alone on Disney +, a new streaming platform which launched today.

Benitez will star in an episode of The Marvel Hero Project, a new show that will have multiple episodes featuring a unique personality each episode. 

“I will have my own episode premiering on Feb. 7 that will be about my story and my passions in an effort to inspire other kids,” Benitez said.

Disney is the latest in the television industry to join the trend of offering an exclusive streaming service, and thus pulling their content off of the fore-runner Netflix.

“We will watch a lot less Netflix with Disney +,” CCHS teacher and parent Mrs. Allison Collins said,  “because we will be able to introduce some of the Disney cartoons that our daughters don’t know about yet but will like.” 

Disney + launches Nov. 12 and will feature an extensive array of new and old content for its viewers to enjoy. The full lineup can be viewed on the Disney + official Twitter page.

The launch of Disney + has the potential to create a more accessible method of viewing classic Disney movies and more.

“I know a lot of high schoolers are also interested in it because Disney has pulled all of their classics from other streaming services, and teenagers don’t typically want to go it and buy DVDs anymore,” CCHS student Kate Foster ‘20 said. 

Disney + subscription costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. However, Verizon users get their first year of  Disney + free with unlimited, Fios Home Internet, or 5G Home Internet.

Despite being cheaper than Netflix’s monthly subscription, public opinion has begun to shift towards viewing endless new streaming services as a nuisance.

“I think Disney + will be a relative success,” Foster said, “but many people I know also see it as too much and only see another subscription payment. So many teens and families are already subscribed to services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, that Disney + doesn’t feel worth it.”

However, some families enjoy the variety offered through these platforms, whether or not they are saving money. 

“People are going to feel like we need to have every subscription,” said Mr. Danny Collins, husband to Mrs. Collins. “Right now we have Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, and ESPN +, and we cut cable to save money. As far as the customer is concerned, I don’t know if we are saving money compared to cable, but we definitely have a wider variety of things available to us.”

In addition to The Mariel Hero Project, Disney + will be the only place to access new series such as WandaVision, The Mandalorian, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum. Disney + will also finish the Star Wars Clone Wars series, which was cancelled abruptly off Cartoon Network after Disney purchased Star Wars, much to the excitement of fans who felt cheated out of already-finished seasons. 

“I think Disney + is gonna be awesome because it’s a bunch of amazing Disney and Marvel shows and movies in one place,” Benitez said. “I also think the types of things they will be adding are really gonna be different from other streaming services and will hopefully make an impact.

“I am so happy that I might inspire other kids to stand up and do great things [because of my episode].”