Roku device owners: Sorry, you can’t get the cheaper Disney Plus with ads plan

Today, Disney Plus launches its new Basic plan in the United States, which includes ads before and during its movies and TV shows. It’s also now the cheapest Disney Plus plan at $7.99 a month, with the previously launched no-ads plan going up in price today to $10.99 a month. However, if you own a Roku-based smart TV, or have a Roku set-top box or streaming stick connect to your TV or projector, you are out of luck if you want to downgrade to the new Disney Plus with ads plan.

According to Disney Plus’s support website, “Disney Plus Basic is not currently available on Roku devices.” That means if you have signed up for the new Basic plan, you cannot watch the service on Roku OS devices. That also includes signing up for Disney Plus Basic directly from the Roku app. This also happens if you sign up for Disney Plus Basic in a bundle with Hulu or with the Disney Plus Basic-Hulu-ESPN Plus bundle. So far, Roku’s own support site does not yet mention this issue. This same situation happens with the service if you try to watch it with the Windows dedicated app.

Disney Plus does not explain why this has happened, nor if or when it might be fixed. Its only workarounds are to either stream Disney Plus Basic from any other device or platform or to sign up for the more expensive Premium plan, which does not have ads. Since Roku is currently the number one smart TV platform in the United States, it’s a major inconvenience for those folks who wanted to sign up for Disney Plus Basic but discover that it won’t work.