It was no surprise that Disney+ launched with an app for the most popular streaming device. However, Roku owners with older devices found they couldn’t access all of the Disney+ features.
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Disney+ on Roku
Disney+
Bundle
$13.99/ Year
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Disney+
Standalone
$7.99/ month
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Disney+
Bundle (No Ads)
$19.90/ month
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If you already have a Disney+ subscription, then all you need to do is activate the app on your Roku device. Otherwise, you can subscribe directly through the Disney+ website or through the Disney+ app. For the low price of $7 per month, you unlock all of the movies and TV shows in the streaming service’s library.
Another option is to get a combined subscription to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu’s ad-supported on-demand service. Separately, these three streaming services would cost you $18 per month, but the bundle only costs $13 per month.
Limitations of Disney+ on Roku
Some of the features of Disney+ depend on having certain hardware capabilities. For example, the streaming service is going to be the exclusive home for Disney content in 4K resolution with HDR. Among the current generation of Roku streaming devices, only the Roku Express and Roku Express+ won’t support 4K streaming. The other Roku devices will.
Another feature of Disney+ is the ability to download content to as many as 10 devices. That’s great for traveling or if your home’s internet access is on the slow side. However, it does require that your streaming device has internal storage for downloadable content. None of Roku’s streaming sticks do. You would need the Roku Ultra streaming box to take advantage of Disney’s downloadable content.
If you use Roku because it’s the smart TV system in your television, you’ll face similar limitations. Obviously, the only way you can watch Disney+ in 4K is if you have a 4K TV. And odds are, your TV doesn’t have the storage needed to support content downloads.
Which Devices Does Disney+ Support?
The other major connected device platforms Disney+ supports are Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Chromecast. If you have a television or streaming device based on those platforms, you’ll be able to watch Disney+. All the same hardware limitations apply.
The Apple TV also gets a Disney+ app which integrates into the Apple TV app. Disney developed apps for iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch as well.
Smartphones and tablets based on the Android operating system are supported.
And gamers who have a PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S or NVIDIA Shield can download the Disney+ app.
Chris Casper is a former tech industry product manager who escaped from California for New Mexico. Now he writes about science and tech while searching for the perfect green chile sauce.
