The Oscars are not included in a standard Disney Plus subscription
Disney Plus does not carry the Academy Awards ceremony as part of your regular monthly subscription. The Oscars broadcast on ABC, which is owned by Disney, but the streaming rights are separate from Disney Plus access. You cannot watch the live ceremony or the full broadcast replay through Disney Plus alone.
However, Disney Plus does offer some Oscar-related content — clips, highlights, and behind-the-scenes material sometimes appear in the days after the ceremony. These are not the live event or a complete recording, but rather supplemental clips that Disney chooses to add to the platform.
Key Takeaways
- The Oscars broadcast on ABC, and you can watch it live on ABC.com, the ABC app, or through a cable or streaming TV subscription that includes ABC.
- Disney Plus does not stream the Oscars ceremony as part of your subscription, even though Disney owns both the network and the streaming service.
- Some Oscar clips and highlights appear on Disney Plus after the ceremony, but these are not a substitute for watching the full event.
- If you have Hulu with Live TV or another live TV streaming service, you can watch the Oscars through that service instead of ABC directly.
How to watch the Oscars on ABC without cable
The simplest way to watch the live Oscars ceremony is through ABC.com or the ABC app. You will need to sign in with a cable or streaming TV provider account — this includes Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, or a traditional cable login. If you have one of these, you can stream the ceremony for free through ABC's platforms.
ABC.com and the ABC app let you stream the ceremony live and also offer on-demand replays for several days after the broadcast. You do not need a separate ABC subscription; your existing provider login is enough. The replay is usually available within a few hours of the ceremony ending.
Streaming TV services that carry the Oscars
If you do not have cable but want to watch the Oscars live, a streaming TV service is the most direct option. Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Fubo all include ABC in their channel lineups and let you stream the ceremony live. Each service costs between $40 and $80 per month, depending on the package and current promotions.
These services also let you record the ceremony or watch it on demand after it airs, so you are not locked into watching at a specific time. Most offer a free trial period — usually 3 to 7 days — so you can test the service before paying. Check the current trial length on each service's website, as these change frequently.
What Oscar content is actually on Disney Plus
Disney Plus sometimes posts Oscar clips, award announcements, and behind-the-scenes footage in the days after the ceremony. This content is not may provide and varies by year. You might find clips of major wins, acceptance speeches, or interviews with winners, but you will not find the full broadcast or a complete recording of the ceremony.
This content appears in the Disney Plus app under sections like "What's New" or through search. It is not a reliable way to catch the full event if you miss the live broadcast, so do not plan on using Disney Plus as your primary way to watch the Oscars.
Why the Oscars are not on Disney Plus
The Oscars broadcast rights and streaming rights are handled separately. ABC has the right to air the ceremony on television, but that does not automatically include the right to stream it on Disney Plus. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the organization that runs the Oscars) negotiates these rights separately, and streaming rights are often sold to different platforms or kept exclusive to the broadcast network.
Disney has chosen not to include the Oscars in the Disney Plus subscription, even though the company owns ABC. This is a business decision — the Oscars draw massive viewership, and keeping it exclusive to ABC and ABC.com drives traffic to those platforms instead of Disney Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch the Oscars on Disney Plus the day after it airs?
Not as a full broadcast. Disney Plus may post clips and highlights the next day, but you will not find a complete recording of the ceremony. For a full replay, use ABC.com or the ABC app, where the ceremony is usually available on demand within hours of the broadcast ending.
Do I need a Disney Plus subscription to watch the Oscars on ABC.com?
No. You need a cable or streaming TV provider account to sign into ABC.com, but Disney Plus is not one of those options. Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and traditional cable all work, but a Disney Plus subscription alone will not let you stream the ceremony.
Is there a free way to watch the Oscars live?
If you have a cable or streaming TV subscription that includes ABC, you can stream it free through ABC.com or the ABC app. If you do not have either, you would need to sign up for a streaming TV service with a free trial, though trial lengths vary and change frequently.
Will the Oscars ever be on Disney Plus?
It is unlikely in the near future. Disney has kept the Oscars off Disney Plus despite owning ABC, which suggests a deliberate choice to keep the event exclusive to the broadcast network and its streaming platforms. Rights agreements can change, but there is no indication this will happen soon.