How Disney+'s new password sharing policy might impact your Hulu access

Streaming service bundles can be a great way to save money, especially when it seems like we need 3-5 streaming services to have the same level of access that Netflix once provided on its own. Unfortunately, it also means that one service's policies can drastically change your access to others, which is what is now happening to Disney+ and Hulu watchers everywhere.

For many years, friends and families have attempted to combat the rising cost of access to television by pooling their resources, with one member investing in Netflix, another in Disney+, etc. However, the streaming services are aware of this, and they have begun doing everything they can to stop password sharing, with the expectation that those kicked off of their shared accounts will have no choice but to make their own.

In the last week of September 2024, many people logged onto Disney+ only to find themselves barred from entering. Following Netflix's lead, the system now tracks "households," preventing people from watching if they use a different WiFi system—as you would if you didn't live together. Here's how the new system works and why it might have cut off your Hulu access as well.

Disney+'s new password-sharing policy

According to Disney's new paid-sharing policy, the boundaries for password sharing are simple: you may use the same account if you live together, but there is no free access beyond that.

"Your Disney+ subscription is meant to be used within your Household, which is a collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside there."

This may still allow portable devices like cell phones and laptops to use a joint account, but smart TVs must be on the same WiFi network, and portable devices will likely also lose access if they do not check in to the household WiFi on a regular basis.

This is a very similar model to the one Netflix instituted last year, and while it might seem fairly reasonable, it has widespread implications for those who live in multiple households, go to college far from home, or simply are looking for a more reasonable way to share entertainment costs.

The service will decide for itself where your household is and what devices apply, but there are a few ways to work with it if it's wrong. The screen that blocks password sharing provides options for "I'm away from home" and "Update household," both of which will send a confirmation code to the account's email. The first is intended for brief trips and vacations while updating the household really only applies if you have moved more permanently.

They do warn that there will be a limit to how many times the household can be changed, so it's not a functional solution for people in different places with shared email access to use.

What options do you have?

The only real option Disney+ offers is the Extra Member profile, which allows the account holder to designate one person to have access beyond the established household. Currently, this option costs $6.99 for Disney+ Basic and $9.99 for Disney+ Premium. However, it comes with many exceptions.

The most obvious one is that this only works for one additional member. If you have two children who go to college out of state, you'll have to pick one and force the other to get their own account. While it is possible to switch which Extra Member has access, this is a long-term decision. There are disclaimers on the Disney+ Help Center that some of these changes are only possible a limited number of times, although that limit has not been explicitly stated.

On top of that, the Extra Member option is actually not available for many people. It is "not currently available for Disney+ subscriptions that are a part of the Disney Bundle," which makes it a non-option for many subscribers. Those of us who have been watching Hulu through Disney+, for instance, are not able to share that with those outside our houses.

According to Disney, the only other option is to get your own account. It is possible to transfer a profile from one account to another, so you don't have to lose your progress when you switch. You just have to pay a lot more than you were before, especially since Disney is raising their prices on nearly every plan, for Disney+ and its affiliates, on October 17.

There really aren't any other options, though you can try to get creative with what devices are counted as part of your household. Some people have found it possible to keep Netflix access, as long as they sign onto their device on the account holder's WiFi every month or so. But for most people, it's going to come down to making their own account or losing access to Disney, Hulu, ESPN+, and more.

How this impacts affiliated streaming services

This may seem like a very non-Hulu problem, but Disney has made it clear that they will be cracking down on password sharing for Hulu and ESPN+ as well. Those who only use one can expect to see a similar barrier to access soon, and those who had Hulu integrated into Disney+ might have already lost access.

Bundles are where this gets especially complicated. As mentioned above, the Extra Member loophole is not an option for those with bundles, so those who had been sharing bundled accounts might have a huge new charge coming their way.

At present, the Disney+/Hulu bundle costs $9.99/$19.99, Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ costs $14.99/$24.99, and the new Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle costs $16.99/$29.99 (prices dependent on whether you can tolerate ads). Most of those rates are increasing by another 1-2 dollars before the end of October.

More than that, Disney+ has instituted a strange rule to keep people from using the Extra Member option. The email address attached to the additional member "cannot have an active Hulu subscription, or an active or canceled Disney+ or ESPN+ subscription." This means that, if you want access to both Disney+ and Hulu, you must either use separate email accounts or pay for both at full price.

Unfortunately, this is what happens when one company is allowed to acquire too much power. They have very little competition when it comes to choosing the best streaming service, and they have set up their rules to disincentivize subscribers from paying for a bundle. If you want to have any access to the MCU projects on Disney+ or the network television offerings on Hulu, you'll have to pay the price. And once you've signed on, there's a good chance they'll raise their prices again.

Although many people said they would cancel their Netflix accounts when they made a similar move, findings have shown that they got more subscribers and their revenue shot up. It's no surprise that Disney is eager to follow suit. Hulu fans should get ready, because if they're still trying to share an account with someone, it's just a matter of time before they'll be cut off.