- Disney+ subscribers believe the platform is changing the availability of Dolby Atmos at different times of the day.
- They believe it is due to the server load during talk broadcast hours
- Disney has yet to address the situation.
Have you noticed changes in audio quality when streaming titles on Disney+ recently? If so, you will be glad to know that you are not alone in this case.
Some Disney+ subscribers have noticed that the platform is apparently adjusting which audio formats are available at certain times, primarily during peak hours, based on server load. Although it could simply be a matter of misunderstanding, it seems that a handful of users have experienced this and some have taken to Reddit to fix the issue.
In the main Reddit post, the author notes that they were able to stream with Dolby Atmos during the day, but only in 5.1 audio during nighttime hours despite being subscribed to Disney+ Premium.
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Only the Disney+ Premium plan ($18.99/ £14.99/ AU$20.99 per month) gives you access to Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision viewing, while the $11.99/ £5.99/ AU$9.99 per month ad-supported basic plan offers up to 5.1 audio viewing and 1080p Full HD video.
Not surprisingly, users don’t understand why they are experiencing this apparent issue when they believe they should be able to access Dolby Atmos-compatible titles regardless of the time of day since they are subscribed to the Premium plan. “I only noticed because the sound was much quieter, and then I noticed it was only showing 5.1 while I was sure it was Dolby Atmos. I thought I was going crazy,” the author of the initial Reddit post said in response to another user.
The issue appears to occur during peak streaming hours at night, with several posters suggesting that because Disney+ servers are busier during these hours, there isn’t enough bandwidth for users to stream Dolby Atmos-compatible content, with one Reddit user describing it as “a pressure release valve.”
It appears this is also happening on a variety of devices that Disney+ is available on. One user shared: “It happened on all my devices, LG C3, Xbox, PS5 and even my phone. I got into a live chat with [Disney+] and they actually refunded me because as far as I’m concerned, I’m paying for the premium tier and I’m not getting all the features.” The Disney+ help page describes cases where the highest quality audio may not be streamed. The company states that while “Disney+ will automatically use the highest quality audio supported on your device (including external audio systems or sound bars) and available with your plan,” this still depends on your internet connection, device capability, and platform settings, emphasizing that it doesn’t All content on the platform is Dolby Atmos supported.
Disney+ has not yet publicly addressed the issue, but we’ve reached out for comment and to ask if there are any workarounds users can try. We will update this article when we receive a response.
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