Want to watch Disney Plus (Disney+), but for some reason, you keep getting redirected to the preview.disneyplus.com screen or shown the below image? 😕
Disney Plus has been out for some time now, with over 54 million subscribers (as of May 2020) available from territories such as in the US, UK, India, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.
But unlike Netflix, Disney Plus still has a long way to go until it completely rolls out internationally to all countries. Until then, it can be a gruesome wait for anyone who’s looking to binge shows like The Mandalorian or catch up on all of the Pixar movies.
So if you’re someone who’s impatient as we are and you are frustrated by the fact that you keep getting the ‘Service Unavailable’ whenever you try to access Disney+, then this guide will show you step-by-step on how to access the service from wherever you are in the world.
We understand that there are a lot of eager users who couldn’t find a guide that helped access Disney+ service from outside the available geolocations of which Disney+ is already in, which is why we wrote this post.
Do take note, however, that the primary solution which we will be discussing is the usage of VPN services, although you can choose to use a web proxy service. The reason why we will be heavily focusing on VPN is that we’ve managed to use them and have successfully streamed hundreds of hours of Disney+ content without any buffering or issues encountered.
The VPN services which we will be discussing are the result of hours of reviewing and testing (which we’ve had to put in the costs) to identify their performances when it comes to streaming Disney+ content so that you can make the best choice.
:shameless plug: The links for the VPN below are affiliate links, and we earn a little tip if you purchase your VPN plan through our link. 🍺 We’ve also not enabled ads on this page because ads are just annoying.
Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
1. ExpressVPNExpressVPN
The best all-round VPN service for streaming speed and privacy.
Works on: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Streaming sites unblocked: Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+ | 24/7 support: Yes | Trial period: 30 days | Number of servers: 3,000+ | Server locations: 160 | Countries: 94 | Maximum devices supported: 5
ExpressVPNExpressVPN is the best choice we recommend to use when streaming Disney+ from outside the US.
The price can be a little higher than the others, which we’ve shared on this list (NordVPN, Surfshark, etc.), but it’s positives do make up for the cost.
ExpressVPN has VPN server locations (160) in over 94 countries, enterprise-level encryption, excellent 24/7 live customer support, and, most importantly, has fast VPN streaming performance.
When we tested ExpressVPN to stream Disney+, the experience was nothing but smooth without any buffering or streaming issues. It was also much quicker to connect to a US VPN server (took us 10 seconds) compared to the others on the list.
Besides its speed, ExpressVPN provides robust security as well as accessibility on multi-platforms — Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android even on the BlackBerry!
As for its security and encryption effectiveness, ExpressVPN is capable of not only allowing you to mask your IP but also helps protect when you make any Bitcoin payments. It also provides P2P support, kill switch, and even DNS-leak protection to secure your information.
So are there any downsides to using ExpressVPN?
The only downside we’ve experienced is that again the price is a little bit higher than the other options on this list. Previously we were also pretty bummed about the fact it only supported 3 simultaneous connections, but since then, they’ve increased that limit to 5 simultaneous connections. Having a higher limit is convenient because it allows you to connect to the VPN on multiple devices, plus you can even share the plan with your family and friends.
Sadly, there’s no free trial provided to test out how the service works before committing to the monthly/annual plans. However, they do make up for it by giving you a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t happy with the service.
2. NordVPN
The most popular VPN service for streaming and gaming, as well as one of the best.
Works on: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Streaming sites unblocked: Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+ | 24/7 support: Yes | Trial period: 30 days | Number of servers: 5,400+ | Server locations: 80+ | Countries: 59 | Maximum devices supported: 6
NordVPN really beats all of its competition in just about every aspect.
The price is lower than that of ExpressVPN, and they even offer a 2-year plan, which often gets discounted heavily during the festive periods. It’s not rare to find that you could get a 2-year NordVPN plan for a fraction of the cost you’re paying for ExpressVPN for the same plan.
NordVPN also has around 5,400 servers in over 80 server locations in 59 countries, 2048-bit encryption, and even supports 6 simultaneous connections in which ExpressVPN only provides 5.
When we talk about the best VPN services, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the names that are often recommended. NordVPN has also been a hugely popular option amongst gamers and streamers who are looking for fast, stable speeds when it comes to streaming content.
We’ve also been impressed that the team behind NordVPN brings out frequent updates and improvements to the platforms, which makes the user experience a little better each time.
Now how did NordVPN fare when it came to streaming Disney+?
Well, there weren’t any issues at all, especially when it came to streaming. However, just like we’ve mentioned when we did our HBO Max ‘Not in Service Area’ post, NordVPN did take a longer time (25 seconds) to connect to a server compared to ExpressVPN (10 seconds) which was instant. We were able to connect and stream TV shows, movies, documentaries without any buffering (although this may largely be dependent on your internet connection speeds). We also never experienced getting abruptly blocked or logged out of our Disney+ accounts.
What other drawbacks are there? NordVPN also has experienced security breaches previously, and that may bring some uncertainty about whether it may happen again. There were also some issues with the user interface where it was difficult to identify which VPN country server you used previously. However, that has since been improved with the latest updates for both the desktop and mobile apps.
Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN does not offer a free trial but does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. Surfshark
The best bang for buck VPN.
Works on: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Streaming sites unblocked: Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+ | 24/7 support: Yes | Trial period: 30 days | Number of servers: 1700+ | Server locations: 100+ | Countries: 63 | Maximum devices supported: Unlimited
Surfshark is the best choice if you want to get the most out of your money. It supports Disney+ streaming on multiple platforms and offers fast VPN connection speeds at affordable prices.
What separates Surfshark from the rest is that it is in the same price range as NordVPN, but instead, it goes beyond that and allows you to use it on unlimited devices simultaneously. This means you will not ever have to worry about hitting the device limits, which the other options in this post restrict you with.
That’s a fantastic deal! You can share the service with your friends and your family. If you wish to choose to reduce the price even further, you can try discussing with whoever you’re sharing to split the costs.
When it came to Disney+ streaming, Surfshark was a breeze to work with as the streaming was without any issues. Connecting to VPN servers was also much quicker than using NordVPN.
Perhaps another highlight of Surfshark is that it’s an excellent option if you’re looking for a VPN service that makes the whole process simple. The user interface didn’t have many sophisticated features and menus. The experience of using the app was quite intuitive and straightforward compared to the other options (Cyberghost, IPVanish), where the user experience is complete with many features that cater to users who are interested more in getting a feature-rich VPN application.
In terms of security, Surfshark offers OpenVPN UDP and TCP, IKEv2 security protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a kill switch to prevent your details from leaking when the VPN connection fails.
So are there any drawbacks with Surfshark? As much as we enjoyed using the desktop and iOS applications, the Android app had quite a few buggy issues and instability at times, where often, the app would crash whenever we would try to connect to a VPN server. This happened quite a few times, especially when we were trying to stream Disney+ on an Android device.
Again like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, Surfshark does not provide a free trial but instead offers you a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. IPVanish
The most reliable VPN.
Works on: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Streaming sites unblocked: Streaming sites unblocked: Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+ | 24/7 support: Yes | Trial period: 30 days | Number of servers: 1,400 | Server locations: 75 | Countries: 52 | Maximum devices supported: 10
IPVanish is a great, reliable VPN service that is also priced affordably. Besides allowing you to unblock and stream Disney+ from wherever you are, IPVanish also provides fast download speeds, excellent customer support as well as having a wide coverage of VPN servers with 1,400 servers in 75 server locations in over 52 countries around the world to choose from.
Additionally, IPVanish is also one of the most generous options when it comes to limits on the usage of simultaneous devices where it allows you to have up to 10 maximum devices to be used simultaneously with the VPN service. This makes it one of the best options if you’re looking for simultaneous VPN connectivity for multiple devices.
When it comes to Disney+ streaming, IPVanish had no issues whatsoever with both streaming content. It also provided a rapid server connection that allowed us to instantly switch to another server if a server location was not working.
IPVanish also has an excellent track record when it comes to security and has excellent customer support, which was quick to address our questions.
Drawbacks? Unlike Surfshark, ExpressVPN, or NordVPN, the user interface for IPVanish was a little hard to get comfortable because there were so many features. Now we’re not saying that this is generally a bad thing. In fact, it may not cater to users who prefer to have a more straightforward interface without much of the clutter.
However, if you want a lot of features and configurability at a really affordable price, then the learning curve will surely be worth getting your head around.
Besides that, there was one other issue regarding the absence of the kill switch for security for the iOS app. It would have been great if that was included for as many features it has.
All in all, you cannot go wrong with IPVanish, and it’s one of the most reliable VPN services around.
Again like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark, IPVanish does not provide a free trial but instead offers you a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. CyberGhost
The most feature-packed for VPN customizability.
Works on: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Streaming sites unblocked: Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+ | 24/7 support: Yes | Trial period: 45 days | Number of servers: 6,300+ | Server locations: 110+ | Countries: 89 | Maximum devices supported: 7
CyberGhost is another top-rated VPN service that we’ve found provides an exceptional amount of value and features at a great price.
It supports almost all major platforms, unblocks all major streaming sites (including Disney+), and provides 24/7 customer support. They also have an extensive network of over 6300 servers in around 110 server locations in 89 countries, making it one of the biggest and most robust VPN services you can get.
Not to mention, CyberGhost also offers a generous maximum devices support limit of up to 7 devices, which you can use simultaneously with the VPN service. As aforementioned, with the other VPN services in this guide, you can share them with your family/friends and even split the costs making it cheaper for you.
The best part of CyberGhost is the interface, as their approach is a little different from that of others we’ve already mentioned. Here’s what’s so fascinating: Normally, when you would want to use a VPN service, you would have to manually choose a country and then browse to Disneyplus.com and then stream the content you want.
CyberGhost has rethought this approach and made it much more straightforward. All you have to do is just choose the website or streaming service (Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu, etc.) that you wish to access, and CyberGhost will then select the quickest and most reliable VPN server location for you. CyberGhost will then open the target site automatically for you in your search browser with the target site (in this case, Disneyplus.com) unblocked and ready to be streamed.
This is an effortless, seamless way of trying to use a VPN service as you wouldn’t need to bust your head looking for a US VPN server that both works and is quickest to have the best streaming experience. CyberGhost handles that for you and even automates by opening the search tab for you with the target application you want to be unblocked.
CyberGhost also offers excellent security options with ad blocking, as well as anti-malware security. There is so much configurability and features with this VPN service that, in fact, the price you pay for it is quite a steal.
Streaming Disney+ with CyberGhost had no issues at first. We just chose the Disney+ option within CyberGhost, and then it automatically connected to the most reliable server and then opens the Disney+ site for us to stream.
The only drawbacks came after the third and fourth times when we tested using CyberGhost to stream Disney+ when the streams encountered a few buffering issues. It’s possible that the speeds may be limited in some way since the VPN servers itself weren’t down.
There were also some issues with the customer support as it was not up-to-par with the others in this post despite the 24/7 support availability.
If you’re looking to look past all of those minor flaws, CyberGhost is the most feature-packed VPN service there you can get. Unlike the other VPN services in this post, CyberGhost offers a generous 45-day money-back guarantee option, which is also longer than all of the other VPN options.
Conclusion
That’s pretty much it! We leave you to decide which VPN is the best. Our leading choice would be ExpressVPN, but price-wise you can’t go wrong with either NordVPN or Surfshark. If you’re looking to get the most out of your money with as many features, then both IPVanish and CyberGhost will be the option for you.
Now take note that this was NOT a sponsored post as we never do sponsored posts on this website or are paid by another company to post such information. The thoughts and reviews that are expressed here are entirely our own and based on our results from our testing. As aforementioned, we get a little tip if you buy from any one of the affiliate links above, which helps us to keep this site running. 🙂
We hope that this guide has helped you on how to watch Disney Plus outside US despite getting the “Service Unavailable – Disney+ is unavailable at your location.” message. If you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment below, and we will love to help you out. ❤
P.S. If you have found a better VPN solution to the above, please comment down below, and we will credit you when we update this article.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
