Disney Plus now has a GroupWatch feature to stream your favorite movies and shows virtually with up to 6 friends — here's how it works

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• Disney Plus now offers a GroupWatch feature to let you sync and watch streams with friends and family.
• Disney Plus GroupWatch supports up to seven viewers at once, and they all need a Disney Plus subscription.
• GroupWatch arrives after Hulu and Amazon Prime Video introduced similar watch party features for subscribers earlier this year.

Disney Plus now includes a GroupWatch option that makes it easier to watch your favorite movies and shows remotely alongside your friends and family. The new feature is now included as part of a Disney Plus subscription for $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year.

Disney said GroupWatch was tested in Canada, Austrailia, and New Zealand earlier this month before going live in the United States on September 29. European subscribers can expect GroupWatch to arrive later this fall.

The arrival of GroupWatch comes just in time for the second season debut of one of Disney Plus' most popular original series, 'The Mandalorian," on October 30. Meanwhile, "WandaVision," a highly anticipated new series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will debut in December.

What is Disney Plus GroupWatch?

The Disney Plus GroupWatch feature creates a shared viewing session that keeps viewers synced to one stream, ensuring they're all seeing the same thing at the same time.

Once you update the Disney Plus app or open the streaming service in your web browser, you should notice the new GroupWatch icon on the Details page when you select a movie or show to watch.

After you activate GroupWatch, you'll get a link to invite up to six friends to your watch party. You can text, email, or send the link however you like, but they'll need their own Disney Plus subscription to join your shared viewing session. You'll need the Disney Plus app or a web browser to start a GroupWatch session, but after that you can continue from your smart TV or another streaming device.

Everyone in a GroupWatch session will be able to pause, rewind, and fast forward the stream, and they can also use one of six emojis to react in real time.

Hulu and Amazon Prime Video introduced similar watch party features earlier this year that let subscribers watch streams together. Netflix and HBO Max have partnered with the third-party service Scener to let viewers share their streams, though that requires a computer.