Disney+ Unveils TikTok-Style Vertical Video Feed, Aiming to Transform Mobile Streaming Experience

Disney+ is officially jumping into the short‑form video game this year – and that could change how you use the app on your phone.

At its Tech + Data Showcase event at CES 2026, Disney announced that short‑form, vertical videos are coming to Disney+ in the U.S. before the end of the year.[2][3] These clips will live inside a new feed designed specifically for mobile users, clearly inspired by the endless scroll of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.[1][2] Instead of just being a place to watch movies and series, Disney+ is aiming to become a daily destination you open several times a day for quick, snackable content.[2][3]

What exactly is Disney+ launching?

Disney is building a personalized vertical video feed inside Disney+ that will serve short clips meant to be watched entirely on mobile devices.[1][3][5] The company describes it as a “more personalized, dynamic experience” that will span news, sports, and entertainment, not just trailers or promos.[1][2][3]

According to Erin Teague, EVP of Product Management for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, “everything’s on the table” when it comes to what shows up in the feed.[1][2][4] That could include:

• Original short‑form programming made specifically for vertical viewing[2][3][4]
• Repurposed social clips from Disney’s massive online presence[1][2][4]
• Refashioned scenes from existing movies and series[1][4]
• A mix of all of the above

Importantly, Disney stresses that these won’t just be random clips thrown together. Teague says the team is focused on integrating vertical video “in ways that are native to core user behaviors,” rather than creating a “disjointed, random experience.”[1][2][3][4] Expect an algorithmic feed tuned to your tastes, refreshed in real time based on your viewing history and last visit.[1]

Why is Disney+ doing this?

The move is clearly a response to the massive success of TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, where vertical, bite‑sized videos dominate attention on mobile.[1][2][4] For every minute users spend scrolling social feeds, that’s time they’re not in the Disney+ app – and Disney wants to win some of that time back.

There are a few big goals behind the shift:

• Boost daily engagement: Disney openly says it wants Disney+ to be a “must‑visit daily destination.”[1][2][3] Short‑form videos are perfect for quick check‑ins throughout the day, not just evening binge sessions.
• Reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha: Younger viewers often prefer quick clips to sitting through a two‑hour movie on their phones.[1][3] Teague notes that these generations aren’t necessarily thinking about long‑form viewing on mobile, so Disney is meeting them where they already are.[1]
• Create new ad inventory: At its showcase, Disney heavily emphasized advertising technology.[1] A vertical feed filled with short videos is a natural spot for ads on the ad‑supported tier, giving brands more ways to reach viewers in mobile‑friendly formats.[1]

Disney is not the first streamer to experiment here. Netflix has already dabbled with a vertical clips feed that lets users scroll through moments from its catalog.[2][3] But Disney+ is going further by promising original short‑form content and integrating news and sports, not just promos.[2][3][4]

Lessons from ESPN’s “Verts”

This isn’t Disney’s first crack at vertical video. In 2025, the company rolled out “Verts” in the ESPN app, a personalized vertical video feed focused on sports clips.[1][3][4] That experiment gave Disney real‑world data about how fans consume short‑form content and confirmed that vertical videos can become a daily habit.[1][4]

Teague has described vertical content as “snackable, short, bite‑sized experiences” that fit naturally into people’s routines.[4] The success of Verts appears to be the blueprint for the Disney+ rollout, with the same idea now applied across Disney, Hulu, and ESPN content inside a unified app experience.[4]

What might the experience feel like?

Disney hasn’t shown the final interface yet, but based on comments and industry patterns, you can expect:

• A vertical, swipeable feed on mobile, likely accessible from the main Disney+ home screen
• Clips tailored to your profile: Marvel bits, Pixar moments, sports highlights, news segments, or reality‑TV snippets depending on your tastes[1][2][3]
• Stand‑alone short‑form shows and micro‑dramas, not just cut‑downs of existing content[3][4]
• A design that encourages you to watch “just one more” clip – similar to how you might scroll Shorts or Reels

Disney has also signaled that this feed is not just a clever way to tease longer shows. Teague emphasizes that vertical videos are viewed as an enhancement to the service, not only as trailers pointing you back to full episodes or films.[4] Of course, once you’re in the app and engaged, Disney is betting you’ll be more likely to tap into a full series or movie anyway.[3]

Why this matters for streamers – and for you

The arrival of short‑form video on Disney+ is part of a bigger shift: streaming platforms are starting to look more like social apps. Instead of being places you open once or twice a week to binge, they want to become part of your daily scroll habit.

For Disney+ subscribers, this could mean:

• More ways to enjoy your favorite franchises in quick doses
• New, experimental formats like vertical micro‑dramas or character‑driven shorts[3]
• A more personalized, fast‑moving experience on phones – especially if you mostly watch on mobile

For Disney, it’s a strategic bet: if the company can successfully blend the world of premium streaming with the stickiness of short‑form feeds, Disney+ could secure more attention, more ad dollars, and deeper engagement with the next generation of viewers.[1][2][3][4]

Whether you love or hate vertical video, Disney+ is all‑in on short‑form this year – and your home screen is about to feel a lot more like a social feed.

Original source: TechCrunch – Disney+ is launching short-form videos this year