Cricut subscription

I want to know too. If I don't have cartridges - do I have access to all Cricut images and can cut them if I have the subscription and an Explore?

If I understand correctly, you do NOT have access to the Disney cartridges or any other licensed cartridges. I suspect that CTMH cartridges are also among those that are not available with the subscription.

Still, they say that the subscription has over 25,000 shapes to choose from.

You only have use of the designs that are available with the sub for the time that you keep your subscription active. If you want to have specific Cricut shapes to use indefinitely, you need to purchase them, or subscribe indefinitely.

disneypal. I have an Explore, but no subscription as I have well over 100 cartridges.
So to answer your questions:
1) yes, assuming Create-a-critter is not considered licensed. It is not just Disney carts that are licensed. About half the cricut catalogue is licensed. I think there is a list on the cricut website of what is or is not.

2)if you own the cartridge, you must link it to your cricut account to cut it with the Explore. No sub needed. If you buy the images digitally, they are already linked to your account, just cut with them.

3)licensed images, yes you must own cartridge, link it, then you can cut. No sub. needed. You cannot cut on the Explore without linking it, as all cutting goes through the Design space program, not the machine itself. Old cricuts, you can just pop in a cartridge and cut.

4)yes, but again, your cartridges must be linked to your cricut.com account (ie, you cannot use someone else's linked carts, unless you log onto their account).

BTW, you don't need any cricut images/carts at all to use the Explore. You can upload SVGs from wherever and use those instead.  Think of the subscription as separate from the machine, you are "renting" the images for use.  I think the key is finding what images are included in the sub, then deciding if you want to cut those.  You only get them as long as you pay for a subscription, unless you buy permanently.  

Hope hope that helps.  

I'm not as sure about this, but I think you may be able to buy Disney (and other licensed) designs, on an individual design basis, if you just want one or two designs rather than the entire cartridge.

The subscription is also available in Cricut Craft Room if you don't want a machine that has to be hooked up to the internet to  use. I have an Expression 2 and just got the Explore. My bundle came with 3 months free for the subscription. I can access the subscription through both design programs. Your Cricut account log in would be the same for the design programs so that everything is linked. If you get an Explore the default free trail for the subscription is 2 weeks. It will automatically expire unless you sign up for more months. You get a discount if you sign up for a year.

Thanks for the additional information OntarioScrapper