Disney 3D movies arrive on Meta Quest 3 headsets, with limitations

Meta's Quest 3 and Quest 3S virtual reality headsets now have a new Disney+ app, from the streaming service, that offers films in 3D along with special viewing environments. Devindra Hardawar of the technology site Engadget tried it and concluded that it is an exciting addition for current Quest 3 and 3S owners, but one held back by Meta's operating system. Since 3D televisions disappeared, watching 3D content at home has been difficult. Until now it was offered mainly by Apple's Vision Pro headset, while some VR owners converted 3D Blu-ray discs themselves.

What is available

Disney+ subscribers can open the 3D library, pick a title, confirm it supports 3D and press play. The exact titles depend on the region. The catalogue includes all Marvel and Pixar films and recent Star Wars titles. The author says the opening scenes of Guardians of the Galaxy and the car chase in Black Panther looked good, with a clear sense of depth. High frame rate 3D versions of the Avatar films are also included, which were previously available at home only on the Vision Pro.

The author believes 3D films look better in VR headsets than in cinemas because the image is brighter. He recommends using headphones, as the built-in Quest speakers sound weak. Although the device supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, its screens do not offer true HDR, and Atmos makes little difference on such weak speakers.

Limitations

Meta's Horizon OS is not as flexible as Apple's visionOS. The Disney+ window cannot be freely enlarged, because it has to fit a specific spot in the system. To fill the whole field of view, 3D content must be watched in the cinema environment, where users can choose a seat in the front, middle or back rows. That makes it harder to use 3D video alongside other VR apps.

The author questions why Meta took so long, since Quest 3 launched in autumn 2023. The feature is also missing on Quest 2 and Quest 1, although nothing technical prevents it. He notes that Quest sales are sharply declining and suggests Meta may be saving the feature for its upcoming $1,300 VR glasses, due in spring 2027.