Disney+ allegedly limits “I’m away from home” requests to four per year

Disney’s long-anticipated crackdown on password sharing is in full swing, and for many users, it’s already proving to be a major headache. College students, travelers, and even families just trying to stream in peace are facing a new dilemma: the dreaded “You’ve used all your ‘I’m away’ requests” message.

A recent Reddit thread, accompanied by an image of a forlorn Disney+ error screen, has in four days garnered over 950 upvotes and 240+ comments as frustrated users share their woes. From mix-ups on home Wi-Fi networks to kids missing out on their favorite movies during grandma sleepovers, it’s clear the new system is far from seamless.

The heart of the controversy lies in Disney+’s limit on “I’m away from home” requests. This feature was supposed to help users watch content while traveling or using devices outside their primary household. However, many are now discovering an unadvertised restriction: you can only use this feature four times per year.

Imagine this: you’re a college student who regularly visits home, or maybe you’re a frequent traveler hopping between multiple locations a month or even a year. You expect your Disney+ subscription to keep up with your lifestyle. Instead, you’re locked out after a few away requests. Users are likening this to being told you have vacation days at work, but nobody tells you how many until you’ve run out. On the official support page, Disney+ does warn about limitations, but there are no specifics, as seen below:

Please keep in mind that there may be limits on the number of times you can update your Household or choose that you are away from home. These selections will require a one-time passcode that’s sent to the email address associated with the account.

And the frustration doesn’t stop there. Some users are being flagged as “traveling” while still on their home networks. One user recounted how simply moving between rooms in their house triggered the system, requiring yet another code. Others found that the app demanded multiple verifications within the same day on the same device.

For families, it’s even more frustrating. Parents paying for multiple streams are discovering that if one member of the household is away — say, at a sleepover or a road trip — the whole system can grind to a halt. There’s also confusion around how Disney+ determines your “home” location, especially since many users skipped that setup step altogether. According to the official documentation, Disney+ automatically detects and establishes your Household by looking at “your subscription activity, linked devices, and internet connection among other factors.”

Sure, Disney+ offers the option to add extra members to your account for an additional fee, but this doesn’t solve the problem for people who just want to use their account as advertised. The limited number of away requests is hitting hardest in countries like Canada, where some users reported being locked out completely after hitting the cap.

Some users have tried clever workarounds like streaming through mobile devices and casting to TVs, but even these tricks fail once you’ve hit the away-request limit. And the cherry on top? Disney+ continues charging the monthly subscription fee even if you’re effectively locked out.

This rocky start is a clear indicator that Disney+ might need to rethink its strategy. As it stands, the policy is alienating users who expected flexibility from their streaming service. For now, the House of Mouse may want to brace itself for an exodus of subscribers who are fed up with the limitations.

Streaming wars are competitive, and consumers have options. Granted, Disney+ might find itself on the losing side of this battle if it doesn’t address the growing dissatisfaction — and fast.