On June 1, Disney Plus Hotstar will officially land on Malaysian shores and we will finally be able to “legally” stream all of our favourite Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic shows. But with just over a week to go, we’ve noticed that many of you still have a whole bunch of questions about the service that need answering. We’ve also noticed that there doesn’t seem to be one repository of knowledge in which you can find all the answers that you seek. To that end, we have attempted to pull together the ultimate FAQ for everything you need to know about Disney Plus Hotstar before you actually hit subscribe. (What’s more, with this, you won’t have to put up with the canned, cut and paste responses that you’re likely to get from their Twitter feed!)
Here’s everything you need to know about Disney Plus Hotstar Malaysia!
Okay, first things first, how much does Disney Plus Hotstar actually cost?
At launch, Disney Plus Hotstar will only be available in a quarterly plan that costs RM54.90. That means you will be paying for your subscription in three month blocks. We don’t know if this means there won’t be a monthly option in the future, but for now this works out to roughly RM18.30 per month.
Will there be a monthly plan available? How about a yearly plan?
So far, the only plan that has been announced is the above mentioned quarterly subscription. It seems like that is going to be the price for now.
That’s really odd. Why are they only allowing you to subscribe for three months at a time?
How will I be able to pay for the service?
There are multiple payment methods available for Disney Plus Hotstar. Please see the full list of payment methods below.
| Details | |
| Credit Card | Visa, Mastercard, American Express |
| Debit Card | Visa, Mastercard |
| Apple App Store direct billing (via iOS app) | iOS users can pay directly via Apple iTunes in-app purchase |
| Internet Banking (FPX) | CIMB Clicks, Maybank2u, RHB Now, Am Online, Hong Leong Connect, Affin Bank, Bank Islam, Public Bank, OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UOB Bank, Alliance Bank, Bank Rakyat, Bank Simpanan Nasional, Bank Muamalat, HSBC, Kuwait Finance House |
How can I watch Disney Plus Hotstar?
You will be able to stream the service on a wide selection of compatible mobile and connected TV devices at launch, including streaming media players.
Which app do I have to download on iOS and Android?
Malaysians will need to download the “Disney+ Hotstar” app from Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store.
Is the app available now?
No. The app will only be available on June 1, 2021.
Besides phones and tablets, on what other devices can I get the Disney Plus Hotstar app?
According to Disney Plus Hotstar Malaysia, the service is available on compatible desktop or laptop browsers, mobile, tablets, and living room devices. We continually upgrade and add new devices, so the below list may not be exhaustive.
| Device | Details |
| Desktop/Laptop Browsers | Disney+ Hotstar supports the following browsers. For the best experience, we recommend using the most recent available browser version. Chrome (version 75+), Safari (version 11+), Microsoft Edge (version 79+), Firefox. |
| Mobile & Tablets | Android mobile4.4.4 + iOS v10 + iPad v10 + Mobile web |
| Living room devices | Android TV (OS 7.0 or above), Chromecast [Gen2 above (Firmware 1.43+)], Apple tvOS 11+ (Gen 4 above) |
Will I be able to get the app on my Smart TV?
At launch, the app won’t be available for any Smart TVs.
Will I be able to get the app on my gaming console?
The short answer is: “no.” We know that the Disney+ app is available on PlayStation and Xbox in the United States and Europe, so here’s hoping we’ll eventually get it here as well.
Can I use the Disney+ app that’s available in other regions?
No. You can’t. You can only use the “Disney+ Hotstar” app.
How many simultaneous streams does one user account allow?
Each registered account can support two simultaneous/concurrent streams.
How many user profiles can I have on my account?
There are no profiles on the Disney Plus Hotstar app. As mentioned, every account can enjoy up to two concurrent streams and the ability to download a majority of the content on devices.
In the United States, however, you can register up to seven (7) user profiles and ten (10) different devices.
Will I be able to download content for offline viewing?
The majority of content on the service will be available for download on your mobile device and tablet.
Is the content commercial free?
Yes. All content on the service is commercial-free.
Is the service kid friendly?
There will be a dedicated kids section with age-appropriate content and a kid-friendly, easy-to-navigate user interface.
What content will be available on the service on launch?
You will have access to movies and content across all of Disney Plus’ iconic brands, including Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, National Geographic, and the Asian Hotstar brand – that’s over 800 films and 18,000 episodes of TV.
You will also get new content like Loki, Monsters at Work, and Pixar’s Luca, at the same time as it is launched in the United States.
Will there be Malaysian content on the service?
Yes. Plenty. Just like the Hotstar brand has done in Indonesia, Disney Plus Hotstar Malaysia will include a whole host of Malaysian films as well as exclusive blockbusters. The three Malaysian blockbusters announced at the virtual press conference was the action movie J2: J Retribusi, the zombie thriller Zombitopia and horror Ada Hantu. These movies will be skipping Malaysian cinemas entirely and heading straight to the service.
The service will also aggregate a selection of classic Malaysian movies, cartoons, and Media Prima TV shows, including Ejen Ali, all 10 seasons of Upin & Ipin, J Revolusi, Tombiruo, KL Special Force, Ejen Ali The Movie, Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal, Munafik, Istanbul Aku Datang!, Talentime, Mukhsin, and others. Disney Plus Hotsar will also have two shows that will drop all of its episodes exclusively on the platform before being screened on television, Wifi Sebelah Rumah(featuring Zul Ariffin and Ruhainies) and Semanis Senyumanmu (featuring Daiyan Trisha and Aiman Hakim Ridza).
What About Chinese content?
On launch, there will be a whole bunch of popular Chinese movies and TV shows including The Silent Forest, Ip Man 4: The Finale, Agent Mr. Chan, Infernal Affairs, Line Walker 2, The Storm Riders, Number 1 (streaming mid-June), The Deer and the Cauldron, The Legend of Hao Lan, Nothing Gold Can Stay, and Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace.
What about Tamil and Hindi content?
There will also be a whole host of Tamil and Hindi movies and TV shows by Hotstar including Dil Bechara, Lootcase, Khuda Hafiz, Teddy (streaming mid-June), Big Bull (streaming end-June), 1232 KMS (streaming mid-July), and The Legend of Hanuman (streaming mid-July). The service will also be home to Tamil blockbusters and Star Vijay series like Vishwaroopam 1 and 2, Maari, Thuppakki, Nanban, Kaaka Muttai, Pandian Stores, Bharathi Kannamma, Raja Rani, Super Singer 8, and Naam Iruvar Namakku Iruvar.
Will Hotstar Malaysia be getting any of the same Indonesian content as Hotstar Indonesia? Or is that on a case by case basis?
The content offering varies between Disney Plus Hotstar services in India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Disney Plus Hotstar Malaysia will have an exciting lineup of new releases and renowned Malaysian hits, including J2: J Retribusi, Zombitopia, Ada Hantu, Ejen Ali The Movie, Single Terlalu Lama, Kekasih Hati Mr. Bodyguard, and more.
It also has a huge library of Asian content with over 350 films and more than 25 series, including never-seen-before Hindi and Tamil blockbusters.
Does Disney Plus Hotstar support Ultra HD 4K streams?
Most content will stream at 1080p with a selection of Ultra HD 4K movies, which will also have Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio included. For now, we don’t have a list of what that “selection” includes.
How will I be able to pay for Disney Plus Hotstar in Malaysia? What payment options will be available?
We don’t know.
We have reached out to Disney Plus Hotstar for this information and will update this FAQ once we’ve heard back from them.
Will we be getting first run movies like Mulan, Raya and the Last Dragon, Cruella, and Black Widow via Premiere Access like in Singapore?
Nope. Premier Access will not be available at launch on the service.
Right now, it seems that Premiere Access is only available in countries that have Disney Plus and not the Hotstar branded alternative.
So I won’t be able to pay money to watch Black Widow when it drops in July?
But, I can watch The Mandalorian whenever I want, wherever I want, and however many times I want?
What about first run movies like Pixar’s Soul and Luca that don’t require any additional payment like Premiere Access?
First run movies like Pixar’s Soul and Luca, which don’t fall under Premiere Access, will launch on the service at the same time as the United States.
What about if I’m an Astro subscriber? How much do I pay?
According to ASTRO, their “new, bigger and better Movies Pack” which includes Disney Plus Hotstar “will come at an additional RM5 per month added automatically to your subscription starting 1 June 2021.” Basically, if you are a Movies Pack subscriber on ASTRO, you will be automatically subscribed to Disney Plus and charged the extra RM5. You don’t really have a choice in the matter and can’t opt out of paying the additional RM5 without cancelling your Movies Pack.
So, you might as well register for the service and download the app since Astro is forcing you to pay for it anyway.
How do I watch Disney Plus Hotstar if I’m an Astro subscriber? Can I watch it using any of the Astro set top boxes?
On launch, Disney Plus Hotstar will only be available to Astro customers on via the Disney Plus Hotstar mobile app and website. According to Astro, it will not be accessible via their Ultra and Ulti connected boxes until later in 2021.
So how do I go about activating Disney Plus Hotstar if I am an Astro subscriber?
From 1 June 2021, you can activate your Disney Plus Hotstar access by going to astro.com.my/Disney/activate and logging in with your Astro ID. Once you have logged in, you will see the activation page for Disney Plus Hotstar. Follow the steps for activation and once you have completed that process, you can download the Disney Plus Hotstar app, or go to DisneyPlusHotstar.my, and log-in with your mobile number that you used to activate your account.
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