How to Watch Disney Plus (and Star) Safely

Click here to read how you can watch Disney Plus in a secure way

How to Watch Disney Plus and Disney Star Safely: A Guide

Disney Plus is Disney’s official streaming service that’s available in large parts of the world. Disney Star, which includes even more content, is only available in limited countries, and not in the US. If you live in a country where Disney Plus has been launched already, you’ll be able to watch your favorite Disney movie at any time.

Unfortunately, Disney Plus blocks the IP addresses of many VPN servers. Do you want to stream in a protected way without endangering your privacy and online safety? Then you’ll need a VPN that works with Disney Plus. Try Surfshark, for example:

1. Get your Surfshark subscription and download the software.
2. Connect to a VPN server in, for example, Canada or the Netherlands.
3. Go to the Disney Plus website.
4. Log in or sign up for an account.
5. Enjoy everything available to watch on Disney Plus!

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Many people use a VPN to access content on Disney Plus and Disney Star that otherwise wouldn’t be available to them. While this will definitely work, we advise you to check Disney Plus’s terms of service before you do this yourself.

Would you like more information about how you can watch Disney Plus and Star safely? Are you running into issues while paying for your streaming account, or is the platform not working as you expected? Read our full article below for all the information you need.

Where Netflix once had a monopoly, streaming services such as Amazon Prime and HBO GO have popped up all over the place. One of the big newcomers is Disney Plus (Disney+), the official streaming service for everything Disney. You can find all the well-loved classics on there, but also content by Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more.

Disney Plus officially launched in 2019, with countries across the world slowly getting access over the years. The service has grown massively both in reach and in the library. In this article, we’ll tell you more about Disney Plus and how you can safely enjoy this brand-new streaming service.

Disney Plus and Disney Star: Not Available Everywhere

Disney’s new service has brought some significant changes to the streaming market. The company announced that it had gained over 28 million users in the first three months after its launch. This was much higher than their predictions. In fact, many people have canceled their Netflix subscriptions to get a Disney Plus account instead. However, not everyone has equal access to this streaming service.

Disney Plus has slowly launched its service in different parts of the world. Although people in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, India, and many European countries already have access, there are others who can’t yet enjoy the streaming service.

The differences become even greater when you look at Disney Plus’s library. Parts of the Disney conglomerate, clustered under the name Disney Star, are only available in limited areas — and the United States isn’t one of them.

This means not all is “happily ever after” for Disney Plus users. Not everyone has access to the same content. Moreover, due to the restrictions Disney Plus has placed on their website, it’s increasingly difficult for people who use VPNs to reach their content.

How to Get a VPN: a Step-By-Step Guide

A VPN gives you the opportunity to surf the web safely, anonymously, and freely. Therefore, we advise any internet user to get themselves a trustworthy VPN. If you want to start using a VPN, follow the steps below:

1. Check out our reviews and choose a trustworthy VPN provider (for example Surfshark).
2. Get a subscription to the service and create an account.
3. Download the VPN software for your device’s OS (for example Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS).
4. Sign in to the VPN software with the account you created in step 2.
5. Connect to a server by choosing one within the software and pressing the “Connect” button.

If you’ve successfully completed these steps, you’ll be connected to a VPN. You’re now able to safely navigate the web without your internet activity being visible to just about anyone.

How to Get Access to Disney Plus (and Disney Star)

If you want to enjoy all content on Disney Plus as well as Disney Star, you’ll have to create a Disney Plus account. Luckily, this is quite easy. You only need an IP address from a country where Disney Plus (including Disney Star) has already been released, which you already have if you live in that country. Follow these steps to get a Disney Plus subscription:

1. Head over to disneyplus.com.
2. Click “Sign up for Disney+” at the bottom of the screen (or “Get all three” if you’re in the USA and wish to get the complete package, including Hulu and ESPN+).
3. Fill in your email address and press “Agree and continue.”
4. Create a strong password and press “Continue.”
5. Choose your subscription (monthly or annually), pick a payment method (credit card or PayPal), fill in your information, and press “Agree and subscribe.”

You now have access to all Disney Plus content available so far. Browse the service for an old Disney classic, a sweet Pixar short, the official recording of Hamilton the Musical, the latest Marvel blockbuster, or the newest Disney Plus originals, such as Loki or Hawkeye.

What if Disney Plus was not released in your country?

Disney will check your payment information when you want to sign up. This means that, in some cases, you might not be able to register for an account. If your PayPal account or credit card isn’t from a country where Disney Plus is available, they’ll refuse your payment. This is especially inconvenient if you have moved to a country with Disney Plus access, but your payment details are still registered in a country without access.

Don’t worry, there’s a workaround: paying with Google Play or iTunes gift cards. Keep in mind that this won’t work in your browser. Using a smartphone is the easiest way to get this done. Here’s what you’ll have to do:

1. Get a phone number from the country you want to use to register on Disney Plus. If you don’t have that at the moment, apps like textPlus allow you to do this for free. You’ll need this phone number to create a Google or Apple account, especially if you’ll register for a US Google account.
2. Use a VPN to connect to a server from the US. We recommend Surfshark, as it’s an affordable and fast choice. Make sure you’re always connected throughout this process, so any website sees your US address when you visit it.
3. Get Surfshark
4. Create a new account for Google Play or iTunes. For Google Play, make sure you also create a new Amazon account.
5. If you use Google Play, go to Amazon and purchase a gift card. If you use iTunes, go to any Apple gift card distributor (Walmart, Target, Best Buy) and buy a gift card. Each gift card is registered to a country, so make sure you buy one from the country you made your account in. G2A is also a good alternative for gift cards.
6. Tie the gift card to your account. If you followed each step so far, you should be able to add the gift card to your balance. If it doesn’t work, check the section below.
7. Download the Disney Plus app on your smartphone from the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store.
8. Sign up with your new email address, then pay with the gift card you associated with your account.

What if Disney Plus or Disney Star doesn’t work with your VPN?

If you’re trying to watch Disney Plus while connected to a VPN, for example for safety reasons, you might run into issues. You’ll still be protected by the VPN, but won’t be able to access your favorite content on Disney Plus. Does this mean you’ll have to turn off your VPN? Not necessarily. There are a few easy tricks you could try to fix this problem:

• Delete your cookies and trackers or open a window in incognito mode before you visit the Disney Plus website. The trackers in your browser could prevent you from reaching the right page and getting access. By deleting your cookies or browsing in a private browsing window, it’ll appear as if you’re a new visitor, giving you access.
• Try a different VPN server. Disney may have blocked the IP address of the VPN server you’re using, so it can’t access their service. Luckily, many VPNs have multiple servers per server location, so you can easily switch to a different one. If you want to access the streaming platform while staying protected, simply choose a different server. With some VPNs, you’ll be able to pick a different server manually. With others, you’ll have to reconnect until you’re assigned a different IP. If you want to check which IP address you’re currently using, you can find that out by heading over to our “What is my IP?” tool.
• Start all over again on a new browser or device. Sometimes, when getting a subscription, you won’t be able to associate the gift card with your account because some app or website remembers your initial IP. Using a different browser or even a different device (for example your phone instead of your laptop) can help here.

Which Countries Have Access to Disney Plus?

If you are in a country where Disney Plus isn’t available, or where Disney Star hasn’t been launched, you won’t get access to all Disney Plus content. You might be able to make an account but encounter an error that the service isn’t available in your country. Of course, you’ll have full access to that account once it does become available in that location.

Currently, Disney Plus is available in  the following places:

• North America: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
• Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
• Asia and the Pacific: Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
• South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Although there is no launch date for every country in the world so far, here are the specific regions that are expected to get access to Disney Plus in the summer of 2022: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Oman, Palestine Territories, Poland, Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vatican City, and Yemen.

Which countries have access to Star?

Disney Star is a special section of Disney Plus that includes tons of entertainment from ABC, HULU, Freeform, and other services. You’ll find incredibly popular movies and series on Star, including The Walking Dead, How I Met Your Mother, The Simpsons, The Hate You Give, and Love, Simon. The launch of Star massively broadened the Disney Plus library and made it even more competitive when compared to, for example, Netflix.

However, Star isn’t available in every country. Far from, in fact. So far, Star is available in:

• Australia
• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Latin America
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Western Europe (specifically Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom)

The service is expected to roll out to Central and Eastern Europe, Israel, South Africa, the Middle East, and North Africa later this year, but even then there will be parts of the world that don’t have access to it. The United States, for example, won’t have access to Star at all.

Why can’t I watch Star from the US?

A lot of content shown on Star is owned by the US-based HULU. This streaming service has its own subscription. In the US, you can get a HULU subscription along with your Disney Plus subscription for a discounted price, but HULU isn’t available in other parts of the world. Disney is now partly bridging this gap by introducing Star.

However, this does mean you won’t get access to Star when using a US IP address. If you were to have, for example, a Dutch IP address, you would be able to access all the content available on Star, even without a HULU subscription. Some people use a VPN to get this full access.

Why You Might Use a VPN to Watch Disney Plus and Star

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) helps you hide and change your IP address. It does this by routing your internet connection through the VPN provider’s own servers in different countries. With a VPN connection, websites will think you’re navigating from a different location, and they won’t be able to track you as much as they would otherwise.

There are two main reasons why people might choose to use a VPN in combination with Disney Plus:

• More online privacy and safety: Your IP address reveals all sorts of personal information about you, such as your location. Websites, along with every other party that has access to your online data, can read this information and adjust their content accordingly. Many VPN users constantly have their VPN connection activated, no matter what they do on the internet. This helps them take back control over their privacy. These people will also want to access Disney Plus with a VPN.
• Access to more content: Not all of the content on Disney Plus and Disney Star is available worldwide. Some countries don’t have access (yet) at all, while others don’t get to see the full library. This is mostly due to distribution rights. Some people use a VPN to watch shows and films they wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. Before doing this yourself, we would advise checking Disney Plus’s user agreement to check whether they allow VPN use to change your virtual location.

Best VPNs for Disney Plus

In an ideal world, one wouldn’t have to give up one’s privacy or safety in order to be able to watch a movie. Still, this is the reality when it comes to many streaming services, including Disney Plus. Disney actively blocks IP addresses from famous VPN providers, making it much harder to watch content while being protected by a VPN.

Luckily, there are a few VPN providers with servers that allow you to watch Disney Plus. This way, you can watch this streaming service without sacrificing your safety. Here are three VPN providers that can give you access to Disney Plus.

1. Surfshark: Cheap and reliable

Surfshark is among our favorite VPN services. This provider is a relative newcomer but has quickly built an excellent reputation for itself. It doesn’t log your use, has plenty of servers and server locations, and doesn’t limit the number of devices you can use with your subscription. Perhaps most attractively, it only costs a few dollars a month.

The special thing about Surfshark is that all their servers, regardless of their location, will give you access to the website and content of Disney Plus. We consider Surfshark a very good VPN provider that will successfully protect your internet connection while also allowing you to stream as you normally would. Read more about this provider in our detailed review or go directly to the Surfshark website by clicking the banner below.

Surfshark

Deal:

Safe and anonymous internet for only $2.30a month

From

$2.30

9.0

• Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
• 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
• Cheap with many extra options

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2. NordVPN: High levels of security

NordVPN is one of the biggest and best VPNs of the moment. It has thousands of servers in over 60 countries. The speed of most of NordVPN’s servers is great. Moreover, it’s one of the most secure VPNs out there. NordVPN is reliable and has a very user-friendly application.

If you wish to watch Disney Plus, you can use one of the countless servers they have in Western Europe, the United States, Canada, or Brazil. These will allow you to watch Disney Plus while keeping your connection secure. You can check out our more detailed review of this provider here, or go straight to their website by clicking the button in the box below.

NordVPN

Our pick

Our pick

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• Excellent protection and a large network of servers
• Nice and pleasing application
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3. ExpressVPN: Fast connections at a premium price

Just like Surfshark, ExpressVPN specifically aims to provide its users with access to the Disney Plus website. If you pick the right ExpressVPN VPN server, you’ll be able to easily and safely enjoy the many films and series on Disney Plus (as long as you’re subscribed to the streaming platform). Since ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs of this moment, you probably won’t even notice a difference in internet speed.

Unfortunately, ExpressVPN is quite expensive compared to Surfshark and NordVPN. Regardless, their quality is very high and consistent. If you’d like to know more about ExpressVPN, you can read a full review of their VPN service right here or visit their website directly.

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Important Notice About the Disney Plus User Agreement

Many people use the VPNs mentioned above to watch Disney Plus in a country where they shouldn’t have access (yet). All it would take is choosing the right VPN server location, and figuring out a way to pay for Disney Plus. However, this could be in direct violation of Disney Plus’s terms and conditions.

At the time of writing, the user agreement mentions that Disney Plus has geographical restrictions to its content and uses different technologies and methods to determine your physical location. This agreement doesn’t ban VPN use outright, but terms and conditions can change. There is a chance that Disney Plus will start punishing users who try to access their services with a VPN, for example by blocking their account completely.

Before you try to use a VPN to access Disney Plus’s content from a different country, please check out the user agreement. You can find this at the bottom of their website. If the agreement has changed or is different in your country, you could be violating it by using a VPN to unblock content. Any possible consequences resulting from this are down to the user.

Final Thoughts

Disney Plus has diverse content ranging from Cinderella to Hamilton and from National Geographic documentaries to The Walking Dead and The Simpsons. Moreover, it’s one of the cheapest services out there. Still, if you won’t be able to enjoy this content without giving up the safety of your VPN, you might wonder whether it’s worth getting a subscription.

Luckily, some VPN providers have servers that work with Disney Plus, anyway. With Surfshark, for example, you’ll be able to enjoy all Disney content while also staying protected with a secure internet connection. Do keep in mind that you’ll always need a (paid) Disney Plus subscription before you get access to the streaming service.

When you get a Disney Plus subscription, you’ll have to agree with the company’s terms and conditions. Although those don’t seem to mention VPNs at this moment, agreements can change. Keep in mind that using a VPN to unblock Disney Plus content from another country might be in violation of Disney’s rules.