It’s becoming increasingly difficult to secure physical copies of some Disney classics. Disney announced today that Disney Movie Club will be closing later this year after 23 years of service. Disney Movie Club is a subscription service for die-hard fans that has been offering them the opportunity to get DVDs and Blu-rays of countless Disney media since 2001. Members received monthly releases, but the service’s real blessing was the Disney Movie Club’s deep cuts, which were often mostly forgotten classics that would otherwise be very difficult to obtain.
A statement from the company said: “After 23 magical years, it is time to say goodbye. After serving over 10 million valued Club members, we have made the difficult decision to close Disney Movie Club. We will miss the opportunity to be a part of the lives of so many Disney fans, including you, but we will be forever grateful for the time you spent with us.”
Disney’s decision to close Disney Movie Club follows a new deal the company signed with Sony, which stipulates that Sony will handle production of physical media on Sony’s behalf. The deal, first reported by The digital bitsdoes not clarify whether or not Sony will offer its own similar service in light of Disney Movie Club’s closure.
Physical media has long been on a downward trend due to the rise of digital publishing and the emergence of streaming services, making such a move almost inevitable. Disney launched its own streaming service, Disney+, in late November 2019, and the service was largely touted as an incarnation of the promise that Disney Movie Club once held. But you don’t own the movies and TV shows on Disney+; they can be removed from service at any time. And despite its status as Disney’s digital vault, Disney+ is still missing a number of titles that are currently only available in physical form through Disney Movie Club. The closure of the service in a few months, coupled with the absence of these titles on Disney’s stellar service, has many wondering what will happen to the treasured titles that haven’t transferred and for which no other physical releases are available.
The Disney Movie Club closure announcement notes that the service will be discontinued in July of this year, but current members have until May 20 to place remaining orders. If you collect old Disney films and series, or are simply committed to physical media distribution and ownership, it’s best to act quickly.
