The Downside to Universal Logins

Disney has a huge number of companies under its corporate umbrella and has made it convenient for users by offering a single login for all their services called MyDisney. Since most people don’t use password managers, managing multiple secure passwords can be a hassle and often leads to task abandonment rather than doing the login hokey-pokey.

However, using this universal login approach can end up causing headaches for the user. Disney+ had a very successful launch, and, in pursuit of marketshare, Disney didn’t worry very much about password sharing. Starting this year, they’ve begun cracking down on the practice in hopes of increasing their streaming revenue will simultaneously increasing prices. We signed up from day one for Disney+ and I opted for the Disney/Hulu/ESPN+ package to save a few dollars since I was already subscribed to the other two services.

Now that Disney+ has begun their anti-password sharing program, they have been resetting my Disney+ password monthly despite us never sharing our password. When that happens, I now have to create a new, memorable password and then re-login in the following places:

1. Disney+ on the AppleTV in our living room

2. Disney+ on the Roku TV in our living room

3. Disney+ on the AppleTV in our bedroom

4. Disney+ on the Roku in our bedroom

5. Disney+ on my iPad

6. Disney+ on my iPhone

7. Disney+ on my wife’s iPad

8. Disney+ on my wife’s iPhone

9. Disney+ on my daughter’s iPad

10. Hulu on the AppleTV in our living room

11. Hulu on the Roku TV in our living room

12. Hulu on the AppleTV in our bedroom

13. Hulu on the Roku TV in our bedroom

14. Hulu on the my iPad

15. Hulu on my wife’s iPad

16. ESPN+ on the AppleTV in our living room

17. ESPN+ on the AppleTV in our bedroom

18. ESPN.com on my iPad

19. ESPN.com on my iPhone

20. ESPN.com on my MacBook Air

21. ESPN app on my iPad

22. ESPN app on my iPhone

23. ESPN Fantasy app on my iPad

24. ESPN Fantasy app on my iPhone

So that puts me at an even 2 dozen places I have to re-sign in at every month. After inputting my email and password for each one of those (no small feat for the devices that use a remote control for navigation), I need to go to my email and retrieve a one-time passcode for each of those logins.

Sure, I could reduce the number of devices or services I use, but Disney should reconsider this approach. If they insist on monthly resets, they need to make re-login easier. Otherwise, they risk losing customers—achieving the opposite of their goal to increase their revenues and subscriber base by driving current customers away through an onerous login experience.