As streaming and digital movie releases continue to gain traction as the main way that people watch films, fans of physical media in Canada, unfortunately, are no longer going to have access to the Disney Movie Club from October 15th 2023.

The Disney Movie Club offers members a selection of films from Disney studios, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and 20th Century Studios, to purchase.  Often buying directly from the Disney Movie Club would mean fans could collect special edition covers, and sometimes, some DVDs/Blu-rays could only be purchased directly through the club.

Disney has emailed members of the program today, informing them that

Thank You For Being A Valued Club Member

After sixteen Canadian households for 16 years, we’ve made the difficult decision to close Disney Movie Club in Canada effective October 15th, 2023, as consumer behavior and viewing preferences continue to evolve.

The email also includes a quote from Disney’s “The Fox And The Hound”:

“Goodbye may seem forever, farewell is like the end, but in my heart is a memory and there you’ll always be.”

The closure of Disney Movie Club shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, as last month, sign-ups to the service were no longer being accepted for Canadian residents due to fewer people using the club since Disney+ launched.  A note on the website states:

Disney Movie Club will be discontinuing operations in Canada effective October 15, 2023.

This is yet another knock on physical media collectors, especially as digital releases become more popular and more fans watch films through Disney+.   In an era of Disney deleting movies from its streaming services if they fail to pull in audiences, physical media has become more important than ever, but sadly, most of the recent Disney+ Original films have never been released on physical media, following a similar issue that the video game industry has with digital releases slowly disappearing over time.  Disney Movie Club was also often the only outlet selling some classic films and shows, so it will no doubt be a loss for Canadian members.

Disney Movie Club members in the United States will be unaffected, at least for now!

What do you think of Disney Movie Club closing down in Canada?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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