The newly released Disney Dreamlight Valley is a colorful, enchanting life simulator in which players are tasked with restoring the Dreamlight Valley to its former glory and fighting against a phenomenon called “The Forgetting.” Along the way, players can meet a number of iconic characters from Disney and Pixar films and invite them to move to Dreamlight Valley. Early in the game, players will be given a choice of recruiting Moana from Moana, the titular robot from WALL-E, or Remy from Ratatouille. But which of the three is best to recruit first?
You will eventually be able to visit all three worlds and recruit their respective characters. However, unlocking each world requires Dreamlight, the magical resource earned by performing various tasks around the valley. While every character can be befriended and unlocks gifts and quests when their Companion Level increases, all three characters also have their own unique benefits. However, you can always simply choose to recruit whichever character is your favorite. That being said, general advice would be that players interested in cooking should recruit Remy, those interested in gardening should recruit WALL-E, and those interested in making money and clearing out the Valley should recruit Moana.
Here is more information about how to recruit each character and what benefits they provide upon recruitment.
Grow a Garden With WALL-E
The beloved Pixar robot WALL-E can be found doing what he does best: cleaning up trash on the ruined, long-abandoned Earth. To recruit WALL-E, players must help him clean up the rubble, plant various crops to beautify the ruined Earth and provide him with gifts showcasing the beauty of Dreamlight Valley. Once WALL-E has been convinced that Dreamlight Valley is a lush, beautiful place to live, he will move in.
Once WALL-E has moved to the Valley, players can complete the quest Village Project: The Garden. This quest requires finding 5 Sugarcane Seeds and 5 Wheat Seeds as well as crafting one Trellis and one Burlap Bag. Once the garden has been built, WALL-E will regularly plant random crops which the player can harvest. This is a useful function, as foods can be eaten to restore Energy or can be cooked into Meals. Meals restore even more Energy and can also be gifted to villagers.
In addition, players can earn a number of benefits by raising WALL-E’s Companion Level. In particular, befriending WALL-E nets players 6,000 Star Coins, far more than most characters. Players can also earn themed decorations and a WALL-E-inspired Poster.
Craft Culinary Delights With Remy
Remy may be one of the smallest chefs around, but he’s one of the best! Free from having to hide under Linguini’s hat, in Dreamlight Valley the rat runs his own restaurant, “Chez Remy,” which players are able to unlock once Remy has moved to the Valley. Of course, to convince him to move, players will have to complete a few quests involving his favorite activity: cooking. You’ll have to gather ingredients and cook dishes good enough to please the food critic – including Remy’s speciality, the iconic Ratatouille. All of these recipes will be added to the player’s Recipe Book, allowing them to recreate these meals and eat them or give them away as Gifts.
To prepare for the grand opening of Chez Remy in the A Restaurant Makeover quest, players will have to collect 10 Oregano, 15 Raspberries, 15 Carrots, and 25 Wheat. Once Chez Remy is open, it will serve as both a place to cook and as a store, allowing players to purchase new Ingredients: Cheese, Eggs, Milk, Butter, and Peanuts. Having access to these Ingredients will significantly expand the number of recipes that a player can cook.
Building a friendship with Remy unlocks several different types of Kitchen Furniture which the player can use to decorate the kitchen in their own home. Other unlockables include an outfit, poster, and statue based on items appearing in the film Ratatouille.
Sail the Seas With Moana
As a voyager, Moana is thrilled to move to Dreamlight Valley and will do so as soon as the player has repaired her boat. The demigod Maui, on the other hand, will require a little bit more convincing – you’ll have to cook him several 3-star meals and complete a Maui-themed trivia quiz before he moves in. However, players interested in recruiting two characters rather than just one should definitely take up this challenge and head to Moana’s Realm.
In addition, Moana provides players with access to her Fishing Boat, which catches a variety of ocean-dwelling fish at certain points throughout the day. Fixing up Moana’s Fishing Boat requires 50 Softwood, 70 Fiber, and 3 Pink Hydrangea. (Fiber is crafted from Seaweed, which can either be fished up or collected on the beach.) The boat can also be upgraded to bring in larger fishing hauls more frequently by paying Star Coins to Scrooge McDuck.
Of course, Maui doesn’t come without benefits of his own – he’s a demigod, after all! Shortly after meeting Maui, he will upgrade the player’s Pickaxe, allowing you to clear out more types of debris around the Valley and mine gems quicker. Between these gems and the fish Moana brings in, industrious players can earn a lot of Star Coins very quickly. Plus, Maui gives players a quest to make eel traps and bury eels in the ground, alluding to one of his most famous myths. Completing this quest unlocks the ability to plant and grow coconuts in Dreamlight Valley.
Finally, both characters give rewards when their Companion Level is raised. The ever-humble Maui’s rewards are mostly statues of himself and Maui-inspired decorations, while Moana gifts players shell-themed items and a gorgeous dress inspired by her own iconic outfit.
Ultimately, players should strive to recruit every available character in Dreamlight Valley, as each familiar face from Disney and Pixar comes with their individual advantages. However, this guide may be able to help undecided players choose between Remy, Moana (and Maui!) and WALL-E for their village’s first new resident.
Which character did you recruit first in Disney Dreamlight Valley? Which characters would you like to see added next? Comment below and let us know!
