Disney+ has once again drawn the ire of users. When the streaming platform’s ad-supported optionstreaming platform’s ad-supported option, Disney+ Basic, was released, Disney Junior mode (not associated with the channel of the same name) was also released. Disney has stated that this new mode is to keep children from seeing ads even if their parents subscribed to Disney+ Basic. In addition to keeping ads off of children’s profiles, the Disney Junior setting also restricts access to certain content. Actually, it restricts access to MOST content.
Disney’s official answer for this is that they were trying to make the children’s profiles safe for the youngest Mouseketeers of the bunch by restricting “adult-oriented” content. However, users began to notice that more than just PG-13+ content had been removed. Even films rated G, like Frozen, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid, have been removed from these profiles. There are only a handful of movies and shows available on the Disney Junior ad-free profile. The reason, of course, is apparent, and it has nothing to do with restricting mature content. Disney wanted to close a loophole before it began by preventing a backdoor into ad-free content even with an ad-supported plan.
If this is frustrating to you, you can easily turn this feature off with a simple fix, but you’ll need to take your child’s profile out of Junior Mode. Simply go to settings and select Edit Profiles, then choose your child’s profile and slide the Junior Mode toggle off. You’ll be asked for your password in order to do this, so as long as your child doesn’t know it, there’s no way they can do this without your consent.
Once you turn off Disney Junior mode, you can select your own content rating for your child’s profile. This will show ads on children’s profiles. The only way to avoid ads is to choose an ad-free subscription or use Disney Junior mode and watch only what Disney allows you to.