Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Remembering — 5 Best Tips for Beginners

If you’re relatively new to the whimsical realm of Disney Dreamlight Valley, then chances are you’re feeling a little out of your depth right about now. It would only make sense, what with there already being five major updates in the book and an entire roadmap of content forecast for the remainder of 2023. And while such sights can be an immediate put-off for any newcomer to the game, there are definitely a few ways to get ahead of the freight train of patches that it continues to roll out. Specifically, the fifth and latest update, The Remembering.

The good news is, getting your start in Dreamlight Valley doesn’t involve anything more than a grind—a gradual ascension, of sorts, that’ll take days, weeks, and perhaps even months to climb. That said, if you can take on these five following tips, then you’ll be up to speed with the latest content drop before (fingers crossed) it releases the next. Without further ado, here’s everything you should take into account when starting your quest to banish those dreaded Night Thorns.

5. Friends Are Everything

First and foremost, there’s the case of finding, maintaining, and essentially building friendships. As you come to realize relatively early on, friends, no matter how big or small, good or evil, make the world go round. Without them, progression in Dreamlight Valley grinds to a standstill, which can leave you on hold for hours, days, and perhaps even weeks. To counter this and keep the cogs in motion, you’re going to need to work on those ten Friendship Levels right from the get-go; the higher your level, the more perks, quests, and rewards you receive. Simple enough, right? In theory, yes — but it doesn’t come without its contractual obligations, i.e a whole lot of grinding, farming, and gifting.

Without doubt, the easiest way to work on those Friendship Levels is by inviting characters to join you on your ventures, no matter the task or activity. As you’ll come to learn rather early on in the campaign, new quests can only be unlocked by advancing through said Friendship Levels, so it goes without saying that, to develop them, you’re going to need to spend time with each individual character. For every time you invite a new friend to Dreamlight Valley, be sure to have them tag along with you — to cook, fish, quest, and even forage for sugarcane seeds. Bottom like is, whatever it is you’re planning on doing, never quest alone, and always keep your friends close.

4. Food Makes the World Go Round

Do you know how they say the quickest way to a man’s heart is through good food? Well, it’s the same situation with the folks in Dreamlight Valley. As it turns out, the fastest way to build Friendship Levels is through cooking, and of course, gifting quality meals to the friends you’ve already invited back to the Valley. The only downside to this is that, contrary to popular belief, characters’ meal preferences tend to change on a daily basis, which means you’ll need to stock up on plenty of ingredients and learn a few dozen recipes as early on as possible. How do you go about doing that? Why, through Remi, of course.

Once you’ve managed to find your feet in the world of Dreamlight Valley, you’ll come to earn the in-game currency known as, well, Dreamlight. After you’ve accumulated enough of it, you’ll have the chance to unlock new realms in the castle, which will of course unlock new characters, quests, and activities. But, before you go galavanting around searching for Elsa and Olaf, it’s best to unlock Ratatouille, as it leads to having Remi as your resident chef, as well as a few dozen five-star recipes in your cookbook. If you can help it, aim to avoid other realms until after you’ve completed the Ratatouille story arc.

3. Upgraded Tools Are Essential

Shortly after settling in to your new home, you’ll come to find a few key tools—items with which you will need to upgrade in order to progress deeper into the world of Dreamlight Valley and its numerous biomes. The only issue is, well, these tools won’t come in a usable condition, and will need upgrading if you’re planning on venturing deeper into the Valley.

The good news is, with new friendships comes new helping hands to craft those dusty tools of yours into quality items. To make things slightly easier, you’ll want to befriend Merlin, who can help upgrade your Watering Can to remove those pesky mushrooms; Maui and Elsa, who can boost your Pickaxe to remove both shells and ice clusters; and Anna and Scar, who can upgrade your Shovel to remove tree stumps and piles of bones. You can have these tools upgraded by boosting each respective Friendship Level and completing the relevant quest chain.

2. Dazzle Beach Is a Perfect Starting Point

Out of all the locked biomes that Dreamlight Valley holds dear, Dazzle Beach is arguably one of the best and most resourceful of the bunch. Why? Well, because it houses some of the rarest materials in the entire Valley, and not to mention several gateways to new areas that you’ll need to unlock later on in the story. So, for when you’ve accumulated enough Dreamlight, be sure to set your sights on the dusty dunes of Dazzle Beach.

Fortunately for newcomers, Dazzle Beach is the first real location you visit from where your home is located. And while it may be tempting to travel north and unlock the wooded areas first, the truth is, most resources you need for quest arcs later on in the game will be scattered around Dazzle Beach. Bottom line is, the southern border is the perfect starting point for any new adventurer, even if it means putting off that Frozen storyline for another day or two.

1. Plant, Plant, Plant!

Two of the key ingredients you’ll be needing during your time in Dreamlight Valley are fruit and vegetables. In fact, without such ingredients stocked up in your inventory, the vast majority of features simply cannot be crafted, which in turn means less meals, gifts, and high energy snacks. So, it goes without saying that, when it comes to building your new home away from home, having a functioning fruit orchard that pumps out high quality ingredients all year round is absolutely essential.

Once you’ve established your plot of land and found a good place to grow your garden, be sure to dig enough holes to plant a dozen, maybe even a couple dozen of seeds. This will eliminate the problem of having to tour each individual biome and pluck items out one by one. To cut down on time, aim to plant a new batch of seeds before starting your daily quests or activities. If all goes according to plan, then you should have plenty of ripe ingredients ready for the taking by the end of each session. Do yourself a favor here and rustle up some top-tier meals before closing up shop for the day. Chances are, you’ll be needing them at some point in the near future.

So, what’s your take? Will you be embarking on your journey to Dreamlight Valley at any point in 2023? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.