Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to Live Your Best Disney-Island Life!

For many of us, Animal Crossing New Horizons has become a second home. With loveable villagers and endless customization options, you can turn your island into the perfect paradise.

Some folks are just picking up the Nintendo Switch game for the first time, while others have been playing since its release in March 2020. Whether you’re new or old to the Animal Crossing scene, this guide is for you!

If you’re new, you can learn some tips and tricks for creating a stellar island theme, and if you’ve been playing for a while, hopefully, these ideas will inspire you to push through any Animal Crossing New Horizons burnout. (I get it. Terraforming is tough.)

While Animal Crossing probably couldn’t get any cuter, it can get a lot more magical – with the power of Disney! And I’m here to help you jumpstart your “Disneycore” island so it can become the happiest place on earth.

As my snack-buddy Drago would say, “Let’s go play, burrrn!”

Villagers

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which of the Animal Crossing villagers are most Disney-ish of all?

Villagers are an integral part of the Animal Crossing experience. Each one has its own personality, from Lazy to Peppy to Cranky, and there’s something to love about each and every one (except for Beardo – he’s just weird). However, there are a few villagers in particular that really scream “Disney!” Especially if you make it their catchphrase.

Drago – This fiery guy is my personal favorite!

Although Drago is technically an alligator villager, I think we all know he’s really a dragon. And that’s why he’s perfect for any Disney island! Not only is his Lazy personality easy to vibe with, but his aura is pure fairytale. With bright, green scales and a purple smile, his color scheme perfectly fits Elliott from Pete’s Dragon. Being a green reptile also makes Drago the ideal stand-in companion for our favorite Tangled chameleon, Pascal! Scaly friends are the best friends!

Tia – This little elephant is as Disneycore as they come!

Tia’s design is meant to mimic a blue-and-white China teacup, giving her a whimsical and delicate appearance. Her normal personality means she’s super sweet and bookish, making her the perfect representative for Beauty and the Beast. She has the character of Belle and the appearance of Mrs. Potts! However, Tia’s Disney connections don’t stop there. Going along with the tea theme, she could also represent Alice in Wonderland, especially with her adorable maid’s dress. And as an elephant, she’s also a great spokes-animal for Dumbo.

Fauna – The most precious of the deer villagers.

You’ve probably already guessed, but Fauna is on our list as a stand-in for Bambi. With her soulful eyes, dotted head, and demure Normal personality, she perfectly captures the essence of our favorite fawn. Nevertheless, it’s pretty much impossible to go wrong with a deer villager, so if you’d rather have Bam or Erik as your Bambi, go for it!

Bob – This purple cat is the cat’s meow!

With his soft, yellow eyes and constant smile, Bob makes a great Cheshire Cat (even if he’s spotted rather than striped). Because he has a Lazy personality, his dialogue often centers around the bugs in his house – but we can pretend he’s talking about Absolem, the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland! Another Cheshire Cat option is Tabby, who is orange-striped and has a truly enormous, toothy grin.

Lily – A sweet, amphibian bean – and true princess!

Of all the frogs in the Animal Crossing universe, Lily must be ranked number one. With her big smile and sparkling, brown eyes, she’s impossible not to love. She’s also totally perfect to play the part of Tiana from Princess and the Frog! (In addition, we think Smug frog villager Henry makes an excellent Prince Naveen.)

These are just my top five Disneycore villagers, but there are so many more who possess that signature Disney magic! Who will you pick?

Island Builds

One of the easiest – and most fun – ways to create a Disneycore island is to recreate your favorite scenes from Disney movies. Here’s just a few that I’ve made on my island. . .

Cinderella’s Carriage

The pinnacle of the Halloween items, the spooky carriage, is one of the largest and most difficult items to implement in New Horizons. But not so with Disneycore! By fashioning a scene from Cinderella, the spooky carriage becomes an ideal focal point.

I added a springy ride-on to “pull” the carriage and placed a pair of “slippers” nearby. (I just used the white vinyl pumps, but the wedding pumps you can obtain from Reese and Cyrus in the June wedding season event would also look stunning!) You can plant pumpkins nearby, then drop a wand and sparkly star fragments to evoke the sense of transformation from a pumpkin into a carriage!

Bibbidi bobbidi boo!

Mad Tea Party

The Mad Tea Party is another iconic scene for your island, and it’s so easy to make. All you need are two cloth tables and a variety of chairs.

I used the Turkey Day chair, wedding chair, wooden stool, wooden chair, and rocking chair. The key is to be as mismatched as possible! (I did coordinate my tea party colors for Spring and Summer, but you can customize your chairs and tables into pinks, blues, and reds, so it’s as wacky as Jabberwocky!) Once the tables are up, just place coffee cups, mugs, and tea sets. The very merry un-birthday party is ready to begin!

I chose to use a baby bear, baby panda, and a butterfly model as my party guests, but another great “guest” option is the mom’s plushie.

Lady and the Tramp

This scene is incredibly simple, but oh so cute!

All you need are two puppy plushies (obtainable from Nooks at Christmastime), a simple wooden stool, and voila – you have an adorable doggy dinner date! You can also add candles to increase that romantic atmosphere – I used a candle in a glass holder on a log stool. In the spirit of Spring, I’ve topped the wooden stool with a flower, but for an even more authentic scene, you can use a frying pan with the “pasta” customization option!

(I should also mention that a herd of Dalmatian-style puppy plushies would make a great 101 Dalmatians reference!)

Winnie the Pooh

This is another simple build, but it brings so many happy feels!

Teddy bears of any size can add a touch of whimsy and Toy Story around your island. However, I particularly recommend a cream-colored mama bear placed next to a pot and a balloon to achieve that sweet-as-honey Winnie the Pooh nostalgia!

House Builds

It’s easy to forget about the great indoors in Animal Crossing New Horizons, but I have you covered with some Disneycore builds that are best suited for your house!

Beast and Belle’s Library

Beast giving his library to Belle is probably the most swoon-worthy scene in all of cinematic history.

To recreate it in New Horizons, I used both big and small wooden bookshelves. Sadly, I haven’t found the stack of books DIY, but I would definitely recommend that item, too, if you’ve got it! I tucked a study desk in the corner to further flesh out the library feel and added a bouquet of Valentine roses to represent Beast’s enchanted rose. (A single, picked rose also looks great!) In honor of Rumpelstiltskin and Belle from Once Upon A Time, I also included a spinning wheel (even though I’m still salty toward Rumple).

I also added bits of “Be Our Guest” to this room with a cloth table, Turkey Day chairs, and a tea set. Note Lumiere (golden candlestick DIY) and Cogsworth (old-fashioned alarm clock from Nooks) on the fireplace mantle. I also put a coffee cup on a serving cart to represent sweet, little Chip!

Overall, my goal was to make this room as cozy as possible.

Rapunzel’s Tower Room

I built Rapunzel’s room in light of her song, “When Will My Life Begin,” and tried to include activities she sang about!

Although the common wall and common flooring might seem boring, I thought they gave off a great tower vibe. Once you add in all of Rapunzel’s things, the room shines with her personality, just like in the movie!

Some key items include a Turkey Day hearth or brick fireplace and a piece of artwork to hang above it. If you can manage to track down Van Gogh’s Starry Night from Redd, it’d be a great stand-in for Rapunzel’s lantern painting. (Right now, I just have a piece of mom’s art.)

I also have a full-length mirror and wooden stool where Rapunzel can sit while Mother Gothel brushes her hair, as well as a sewing kit, painting set, books, and puzzles to occupy her time. Oh, and a frying pan for self-defense, of course!

Most importantly, I have a snapping turtle named Pascal. (He’s an honorary chameleon.)

Outfits

Your island has a Disneycore house, scenes, and villagers. . .now it’s time to Disney-fy YOU! Head on over to the Able Sisters and transform into your favorite Disney character!

Mulan

This Mulan outfit is fairly simple and based on her pre-Ping-escapade look. All you need is the pink and blue chima jeogori and a pair of pink zori. Then you’re ready to sing, “Please bring honor to us all!”

Ariel

To give off Little Mermaid vibes, I recommend the aqua shell dress or the Mermaid fishy dress, along with aqua or pink pumps, respectively, topped off with a Mermaid tiara. The Mermaid items aren’t found at Able’s but can be obtained from Pascal (the otter, not the chameleon) by trading a scallop while diving!

Cinderella

You can replicate Cinderella‘s before or after look in Animal Crossing New Horizons! For a pre-fairy godmother transformation, try on a frugal dress, white stockings, brown pumps, and a do-rag. For after her enchanting spell, I’d recommend the wedding dress and wedding pumps (from the wedding season event) and the tiara hair (from Able’s).

Tinkerbell

Sprinkle pixie-dust around your island dressed as everyone’s favorite fairy! Slip into a green figure-skating dress, green pom-pom boots, tiara hair, and impish wings (obtainable from Kicks). I haven’t found the pom-pom boots or tiara hair at my Able’s yet, so I substituted some other items. . .which reminds me – feel free to get creative and substitute whatever is available to you for any of these outfits or builds! They’ll still look amazing and could very well be even better than mine!

Rapunzel

Now, if you want to be my favorite Disney Princess, all you need is a purple lace-up dress and a golden prom tiara. And that’s it – you’re all set to venture out with Eugene to the Snuggly Duckling! (Don’t forget to go barefoot!)

These are just a few outfits you can piece together through in-game items. However, there’s also a ton of specially crafted Disney outfits on the custom design portal. If you have access to the portal through Nintendo Switch online, check out this video with the best downloadable Disney clothing!

Town Tune & Flag

One last thing that will help solidify your island’s theme as Disneycore is having a Disney song for your town tune and a Disney image for your town flag! Just talk to Isabelle at Resident Services to set things up.

“When You Wish Upon A Star” is a classic, or you can go for something more subtle like “Married Life” from Up! For a guide on which notes you need for your favorite Disney hits, check out this great video of the Top Disney Town Tunes!

Lastly, if you’re going full-on Disneycore, you’ll want to fly a Disney flag over Resident Services. You can design it yourself or log on to the custom design portal with Nintendo Switch online to download a custom pattern. I highly recommend an image of Stitch’s face. After all, nothing’s cuter than that!

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These are just a few ideas to get you started and feeling inspired for a Disneycore island! However, the joy of Animal Crossing New Horizons is that there’s no limitation to your imagination. Your island can be any theme or have no theme at all, incorporating as much or as little Disney as you’d like. The main thing is to HAVE FUN and enjoy your island paradise!

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Are you creating a Disneycore island? Who is your favorite villager? Let us know in the comments below!

See you later, burrrn!

Cover Image

Photo: MouseEars TV Creative Editor

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