The media giant said it had added more than 12 million subscribers to its Disney+ streaming platform in the three months ended in September.
But the unit lost nearly $1.5bn - a hit that weighed on the company's overall bottom line.
Chief executive Bob Chapek said Disney+ had reached a "turning point" and would become profitable by 2024.
The company now counts more than 235 million subscriptions across its three streaming platforms, which also include the sports-focused ESPN+ and wider enterainment site Hulu.
Netflix, by comparison, has about 223 million subscribers.
It reported profits of $162m, up from $159m last year.
That was lower than analysts had expected, sending shares down more than 5% in after-hours trade.
The firm was also hurt by weakness in its traditional movie and television business, which saw declines in advertising, and rising costs cut into its profits.