Disney+ subscriber ranks surge as Netflix stumbles

Disney+ streaming service saw the number of paying subscribers leap beyond expectations in the recently ended quarter, as rival Netflix’s client count ebbed, results showed Wednesday.

The number of people subscribing to Disney+ topped 152 million, up some 31 per cent from the same period a year earlier, the entertainment giant said in an earnings report.

Disney’s bottom line was boosted by rising revenue taken in from its theme parks, which showed sign of recovering from stifled attendance during the pandemic.

“We had an excellent quarter, with our world-class creative and business teams powering outstanding performance at our domestic theme parks, big increases in live-sports viewership, and significant subscriber growth at our streaming services,” said Disney chief executive Bob Chapek.