Disney Dreamlight Valley may pull from the entirety of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studio’s catalog, but the game’s character roster is made up mostly of films and franchises from the Disney Renaissance and onward. Though Disney Dreamlight Valley has covered most of the Disney Renaissance in its character roster, a few films and franchises have managed to slip under the radar.
Walt Disney Animation Studio’s long history is divided into ages. The Disney Renaissance marked an upswing in the critical and commercial success of the studio’s animated features after a lull in popularity for the company. This period began in 1989 with the release of The Little Mermaid and ended in 1999 with the release of Tarzan.
The Rescuers Down Under
The Rescuers Down Under is a sequel to The Rescuers. Its predecessor, released in 1977, was one of the only commercially and critically successful films during Disney’s Bronze Age. The Rescuers Down Under was the second entry into the Disney Renaissance and is somewhat of an outlier among this run of films as it is the only sequel and non-musical.
The film continues the adventures of Bernard and Bianca, this time in Australia. As members of the Rescue Aid Society, Bernard and Bianca are dedicated to rescuing abduction victims around the world. Though The Rescuers Down Under received positive critical reception, it was a box office bomb due to other films opening the same day, including Home Alone and Rocky V.
Most films in the Bronze and Dark Ages of Disney don’t have as much of a loyal fanbase as earlier Disney films or those released during the Renaissance and onward. Therefore, despite technically being part of the Disney Renaissance, The Rescuers Down Under does not have as strong of a fan base as other films during the era.
This explains the lack of characters from The Rescuers in Disney Dreamlight Valley and why furniture, clothing, and motifs from the franchise are absent from the game as well. Nevertheless, Bernard and Bianca could be fun characters further down the line after additions with higher priority are added. At the very least, a few references to the franchise, like Bianca’s iconic purple outfit, could be a small fun addition for players.
Pocahontas
Pocahontas is one of two Disney princesses from the Disney Renaissance still missing from Disney Dreamlight Valley. Though Jasmine seems to be joining Disney Dreamlight Valley soon, Pocahontas may not join the game for years. Her film is consistently panned for its historical inaccuracy despite its beautiful visuals and songs. With many considering Pocahontas to be offensive, it's unlikely that she will be added in an individual update despite her status as a Disney princess. Though Pocahontas should, and likely will, be added to Disney Dreamlight Valley, it would make the most sense for her to be added in an expansion pass, as they tend to add five characters at a time.
While Pocahontas herself might not be present in Disney Dreamlight Valley, the game has one piece of furniture and a motif inspired by her film. The furniture is a Scenic Painting of a weeping willow, likely a reference to Pocahontas' mentor Grandmother Willow. The motif is two orange leaves in the same art style as “Colors of the Wind,” one of the songs of the Pocahontas soundtrack. These items set a precedent for Pocahontas to eventually be added, hopefully lifting the spirits of any Pocahontas fans who were worried her addition would never happen.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most visually striking films by Walt Disney Animation Studios. However, its original subject material and the Disney adaptation itself are both notoriously dark in comparison to other films by the studio. This did not stop the film from trying to be child-friendly with the additions of the gargoyles Laverne, Victor, and Hugo, and of Esmerelda’s goat, Djali.
The dark content present in Hunchback of Notre Dame partially explains why the film is absent from Disney Dreamlight Valley entirely, but many have also been critical of the film’s portrayal of the Romani people. Though this portrayal is arguably not as egregious as Disney’s retelling of Pocahontas, pushback from Disney fans is understandable and warranted.
Nevertheless, the lack of Hunchback content is surprising considering its loyal fan base. No furniture, clothing, or motifs for the film are available in Disney Dreamlight Valley. At the very least, including Djali as an animal companion would be an addition that fans would adore.
Tarzan
Tarzan is the last film in the Disney Renaissance. Though Tarzan does not have a significant fan base, its iconic soundtrack by Phil Collins and the film’s presence across multiple versions of Animal Kingdom have cemented the film as an iconic part of Disney history.
Out of the remaining Disney Renaissance films, Tarzan seems like the safest option for character additions. Adding Tarzan and Jane as a couple in a free content update seems highly likely. Disney Dreamlight Valley has had jungle-themed updates previously, like the Jungle Getaway update which added Timon and Pumbaa. Because the Jungle Getaway update was so recent and Disney Dreamlight Valley has already laid out their free content plans up to Summer 2025, Tarzan and Jane likely won’t be character additions until next fall.
Like Hunchback of Notre Dame, it’s surprising that Tarzan hasn’t inspired any furniture items, clothing, or motifs. The Night Show Star Path, released in the Jungle Getaway update, was panned by players for not being spooky enough despite a Halloween release. While the update for Jungle Getaway should have been spooky due to its release date, this Star Path would’ve been a great opportunity to include items inspired by Tarzan.
Disney Dreamlight Valley's 2025 Plans
Most of the characters in Disney Dreamlight Valley come from the Disney Renaissance and onward. Though it would be great to see characters from The Rescuers, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tarzan added to Disney Dreamlight Valley, it's unlikely that these additions will happen in the coming year. Gameloft seems to have noticed the absence of earlier films in Disney Dreamlight Valley and will mediate this change by adding Maleficent in the second half of the Storybook Vale expansion, characters from Alice in Wonderland in Spring 2025, and characters from Peter Pan in Summer 2025.
Though the Disney Renaissance may be pushed aside by Gameloft in 2025, Disney Dreamlight Valley should complete the era by adding characters from these films. If and when this happens remains to be seen, for now.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
WHERE TO PLAY
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a hybrid between a life-sim and an adventure game rich with quests, exploration, and engaging activities featuring Disney and Pixar friends, both old and new.
Once an idyllic land, Dreamlight Valley was a place where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony—until the Forgetting. Night Thorns grew across the land and severed the wonderful memories tied to this magical place. With nowhere else to go, the hopeless inhabitants of Dreamlight Valley retreated behind locked doors in the Dream Castle.Now it’s up to you to discover the stories of this world and bring the magic back to Dreamlight Valley.
Free the Dream Castle from the insidious grip of the Forgetting, and unlock the unique Realms of well-loved Disney and Pixar characters, including great queens and kings such as Anna and Simba. Each Realm contains unique challenges with puzzles to solve in the quest to bring friendship back to the Valley.
You’ll start your adventure in the Valley, but your journey will take you to infinity… and beyond! Explore what lurks in the Forest of Valor and brave the deepest caverns as you take on challenges from iconic Disney and Pixar heroes and villains. Who knows who—or what—you might discover.
- Engine
- unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms (requires purchasing the game separately on each platform)
- Franchise
- Disney
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Casual
- How Long To Beat
- 33 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
