Disney Plus Was Affected by Today’s Amazon Web Services Outage -- Here’s How
Disney Plus subscribers encountered login issues and streaming interruptions on October 20, 2025, stemming from a widespread Amazon Web Services outage that rippled across the internet. The problem started in the early hours and left users frustrated as they tried to access shows and movies. Reports poured in from around the world, highlighting just how reliant major platforms are on AWS infrastructure.
Here’s the TL;DR...
AWS suffered a DNS failure in its US-East-1 region, kicking off around midnight Pacific Time.
Disney Plus went down for many, with problems like failed logins, app crashes, and halted streams.
The outage hit other services too, including Hulu, Snapchat, and Ring.
AWS called the issue “fully mitigated” by the afternoon, but recovery took hours for some users.
This event underscores the risks of depending on a single cloud provider for critical operations.
What Triggered the AWS Outage?
A DNS issue within AWS’s systems sparked the trouble. It began at 12:11 AM PDT, leading to higher error rates and slower connections for various services. The failure centered in the US-East-1 region, a key hub for many online operations.
Users noticed the effects almost immediately. Websites and apps lagged or failed to load. AWS quickly acknowledged the problem on its health dashboard, noting it was probing the root cause.
How Did Disney Plus Get Caught in the Chaos?
Disney Plus relies heavily on AWS for hosting its streaming infrastructure. When the outage hit, subscribers reported crashes in the app and website. Logins stalled, and ongoing streams buffered endlessly or cut out.
The Disney World and Disneyland apps also faltered. Park visitors couldn’t check wait times or reservations. This tied directly to the broader AWS disruption, as Disney’s digital ecosystem runs on the platform.
Hulu, another Disney-owned service, faced similar woes. Viewers switched to alternatives like downloading content offline where possible. The timing, early Monday, caught many off guard during commutes or morning routines.
What Were Users Saying About the Downtime?
Complaints flooded sites like Downdetector. Disney Plus users described error messages and endless loading screens. One common gripe: “The app just spins and crashes.”
Social media lit up with frustration. Posts on X and elsewhere shared screenshots of failed accesses. The global reach meant issues spanned time zones, from the US to Europe and beyond.
Some turned the annoyance into memes, joking about binge-watching plans derailed. But for parents relying on Disney Plus for kid entertainment, it was less amusing. Reports peaked around breakfast hours in the States.
Timeline: From First Signs to Resolution
The outage surfaced just after midnight PT on October 20. AWS flagged increased errors by 12:11 AM. Disruptions escalated quickly, affecting Disney Plus within the hour.
By mid-morning, recovery efforts were underway. AWS updated its status, saying teams had identified the DNS glitch. Most services, including Disney’s, started stabilizing around noon EDT.
Full mitigation came by early afternoon. AWS confirmed the fix, though some lingering lags persisted for isolated users. The entire episode lasted about 12 hours for the hardest-hit areas.
Which Other Platforms Felt the Impact?
Beyond Disney, the outage snagged Snapchat, where users couldn’t send messages or load stories. Signal messaging app went offline too.
Ring doorbell systems lost live feeds. Venmo payments stalled, and Fortnite players dealt with server disconnects. Even airlines like United saw booking system hiccups.
The Roku Channel and HBO Max joined the list. This broad sweep showed AWS’s dominance in cloud services. Atlassian tools for businesses also dipped, affecting remote work setups.
Why Does This Keep Happening with AWS?
AWS outages aren’t new, but each one exposes vulnerabilities in centralized cloud setups. Disney’s choice of AWS stems from its scalability for massive streaming demands. Yet, when it fails, the fallout is huge.
Experts point to the need for better redundancy. Multi-region setups can help, but not all services implement them fully. This event might push companies to diversify providers.
For users, it’s a reminder to have backups. Offline downloads or alternative apps saved the day for some. But in a connected world, these disruptions highlight tech’s fragile side.
AWS’s Official Response
AWS stated the issue was “related to DNS” and worked swiftly to resolve it. By afternoon, they declared it fully mitigated.
No immediate details on prevention emerged. Past incidents have led to post-mortems, so expect one soon. The company emphasized monitoring to catch future problems early.
Users appreciated the transparency via the dashboard. Still, the scale prompted calls for more robust safeguards.
The AWS outage on October 20, 2025, disrupted daily digital life for millions, with Disney Plus users among the most vocal about the inconvenience. It serves as a stark reminder of how interconnected online services are, urging both providers and companies like Disney to bolster resilience against such failures. Moving forward, expect discussions on diversifying cloud dependencies to minimize future downtime risks.
Hat Tips
Reuters: Amazon’s AWS struggles to recover after major outage disrupts apps ... - October 20, 2025
The New York Times: Amazon Says Website Outages Ease After Disruption - October 20, 2025
CNN: Amazon says systems are back online after global internet outage - October 20, 2025
AWS Health Dashboard: Service health - Oct 20, 2025 - October 20, 2025
NBC News: Amazon outage leaves websites and apps lagging across the world - October 20, 2025
About Amazon: Update on AWS service event - October 20, 2025
Disney Food Blog: NEWS: Major Problem Hits Disney World App and Disney+ - October 20, 2025
CNET: An AWS Outage Broke the Internet While You Were Sleeping, and ... - October 20, 2025
Mashable: AWS outage update: What happened today and why - October 20, 2025
Laughing Place: AWS Outage Causes Disruption in Disney Apps and Streaming ... - October 20, 2025
Cord Cutters News: The Roku Channel, Disney+, Hulu, & Many Streaming Services Are ... - October 20, 2025
Mickey Visit: Disneyland & Disney World Apps Experiencing Outage Due to ... - October 20, 2025
Article Compiled and Edited by Ivy Adams on October 20, 2025 for Pirates & Princesses.