If you’ve been watching Disney+ with your VPN and it’s no longer working, your VPN is no longer compatible with the streaming service.
Why? Because not all VPNs are equal.
If you want to watch Disney+ reliably with a VPN, you’ll need a VPN that plays ‘Cat and Mouse’ with Disney. This will ensure you can watch the streaming service reliably with your VPN.
The reason your VPN is no longer working is because it doesn’t implement this simple measure. Fortunately there are some fixes you can try to resolve this issue. See below
See also:
- How to watch Disney+ Hotstar in Australia: The EASY way! (2023)
- ExpressVPN not working with Disney+? Try these EASY fixes! (2023)
Disney+ not working with VPN? Fixes
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Delete Cookies
A good place to start when trying to fix Disney+ not working with VPN is deleting your Cookies.
Cookies are small files used to streamline your online experience. Disney+ uses them to save information like your account details so you can login quicker.
The problem with these files is they contain information about your physical location.
If the information stored on your Cookies, differs from the location selected on your VPN, Disney+ knows you’re using a VPN and blocks the connection.
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Change to a different server
If you’re still running into issues watching Disney+ with your VPN, try changing to a different server.
Changing to a different server will give you a new IP address, and if that one hasn’t been blocked by Disney+, you’ll be able to watch Disney+ with your VPN again.
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Change to a different protocol
If your VPN supports multiple protocols, try changing between them.
A VPN protocol defines how the VPN reroutes your data through its servers. Some protocols are fast, some are secure, and others are a good mix of both.
If you can, try changing between protocols as your VPN might have stopped working with Disney+ because the protocol you’re using is no longer compatible with the streaming service.
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Make sure your VPN is up to date
It’s always a good idea to ensure your VPN is up to date.
The reason your VPN has stopped working with Disney+ could be known to the VPN and it may have addressed the issue in an update.
Ensure your VPN is up to date so you have these fixes.
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Upgrade to a VPN that works reliably with Disney+
If you’ve made it this far without fixing the issue, then Disney+ has managed to block all of your VPNs IP addresses.
From here, there are a couple of things you can do:
1. You can wait for your VPN to release new IP addresses that Disney+ hasn’t blocked. The downside with this is there’s no telling how long this will take. Also, seeing as you’ve run into this problem already, it’s obvious your VPN doesn’t have measures in place to stay ahead of Disney+’s blocks. And inevitably, the new IPs will get blocked as well.
2. The second and best way to fix Disney+ not working with VPN is to upgrade to a VPN that’s still compatible with the streaming service.
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) works well with Disney+. This is because it plays a game of cat and mouse with the streaming service.
When Disney+ identifies an IP address provided by these ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) it will close that IP address and open a new one.
This will prevent you from running into the issues you’ve come across with your current VPN, and it will allow you to watch Disney+ reliably anywhere in the world.
Why isn’t Disney+ working with my VPN?
If you’re coming across errors when trying to watch Disney+, it’s a sign that the streaming service has blocked the IP address your VPN has given you.
Disney+ blocks VPNs because it doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content internationally.
If you’re using a VPN to watch Disney+ in a country where it doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content, it could result in Disney+ breaching the copyright and licensing agreements it has with its content partners. These sorts of breaches could result in the streaming service being financially punished.
To prevent that from happening, Disney+ blocks VPNs from accessing its service.
How does Disney+ block VPNs?
Disney+ blocks VPNs using three main techniques:
- The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than the number of IP addresses they can provide; this means that customers can use the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When Disney+ sees hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN, and it blocks it.
- Disney+ monitors for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off you are using a VPN.
- Disney+ teams up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, Disney+ will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from, and it will block you.
Lesser VPN struggle to get around these blocks, and subsequently, all of their IP addresses get blacklisted by Disney+. This is what has most likely happened to your VPN.
Does Disney+ work with VPNs?
Disney+ still works with VPNs. However, you need to use a VPN that can stay ahead of Disney+’s VPN blocks.
VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) are very good at this. These VPNs work reliably with Disney+ because they play a game and cat and mouse with the streaming service.
Inevitably Disney+ will sometimes identify an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month); however, when these IP addresses are blocked, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will close them and open a new unblocked one.
This means there will always be an IP address for you to connect to, allowing you to stream Disney+ from anywhere in the world reliably.
Does Disney+ ban VPN users?
This is a hard one to answer as Disney+ may change its rules and regulations, however it’s highly unlikely Disney+ will ban your account if you use a VPN.
While it can block you from accessing the platform while using a VPN, it most likely will not ban you for using a VPN. You can always simply turn your VPN off if need be.
The reason Disney won’t ban you for using a VPNis because if it bans your account, you’ll no longer pay for a subscription to the streaming service. This will result in a loss of revenue for Disney+ which it obviously doesn’t want.
The best VPNs for Disney+
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
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Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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2. NordVPN 🥈
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
Read our NordVPN review.
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3. Private Internet Access
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
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4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
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5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
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Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
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Read next: Netflix not working with VPN? Here’s how to fix that!
Is watching Disney+ with a VPN legal?
There are only a handful of countries (spot the authoritarianism link) where using a VPN is illegal; these are: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.
If you’re outside these countries and are using a VPN, you’re legally allowed to do so. However, it’s important to know that using a VPN with some streaming services may breach that service’s terms of use.
If you subscribe to a streaming service, you automatically accept its terms of use. If we look at Disney+’s terms of use, it doesn’t actually state using a VPN to access its platform is not allowed, however it does say “Certain Disney+ Content available through the Disney+ Service subscription may not be available in all countries or territories within the Territory. Geographic restrictions will be enforced according to the location from which you are accessing the Disney+ Service, and we may use different technologies and methods to verify your geographic location.”
This means, Disney+ could potentially stop your subscription and ban you from the streaming service if you’re using a VPN to access the platform.
With that said there are many legitimate and legal use cases for VPNs, like online privacy and anonymity. It’s fair to suggest that banning customers for using a VPN would be a heavy-handed and financially costly policy for Disney+ (and other streaming services) to enforce.
In theory, if you’re trying to watch a streaming service (that you pay for) in a region where it does not traditionally operate, you risk having your account banned. However, the best VPNs use military-grade encryption, it’s impossible for streaming services to trace where you’re physically accessing its content from. And there’s one final thing to note on the subject: Disney+ has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.
For more information you can check out article answering Is streaming with a VPN legal?
