Netflix’s big edge is simple: its app is very good at showing you what to watch next, based on your taste and viewing habits. Disney+ still feels more like a library of brands and channels, while Netflix feels like a personal guide that keeps pulling you in.
Josh D’Amaro’s plan is to make Disney+ smarter, faster, and more personalized, with better recommendations, smoother content discovery, and deeper integration across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. Disney is also pushing a “super app” idea, where streaming, parks, cruises, tickets, and shopping could sit inside one unified Disney experience.
His strength is execution: at Disney Parks, he was known for using technology to make the experience more personalized and efficient, and Disney already has huge assets to build on — beloved IP, Hulu and ESPN content, a large subscriber base, and a growing shared login/data system. The likely handicaps are old app habits, complex internal systems, and the fact that building a truly great recommendation engine takes time, data, and patience.
The end goal is not just more subscriptions, but more time spent inside the Disney ecosystem and more ways to earn from the same customer. Viewers may gain a simpler app, better recommendations, and easier access to everything Disney offers — but the full shift will likely happen in stages, not overnight.
MORE MAGIC. LESS SCROLLING. BETTER RECOMMENDATIONS.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.