Disney Dreamlight Valley: How to upgrade your tools, including pickaxe, watering can, and shovel

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a rather charming simulation title from Gameloft that combines everything you’d expect from a simulation with Disney lore, and it’s pretty good. Not only do you get to pester Merlin and empty Scrooge McDuck’s pockets, but you can spend plenty of time winding down and foraging materials too.

As you open up more areas across Dreamlight Valley, you’ll find that some of them have inaccessible areas due to the likes of mystical mushrooms or enchanted-looking tree trunks. To actually get rid of these, you’ll need to upgrade your tools.

Upgrading your Royal Tools means spending time with some specific characters. Without further ado, here’s how to upgrade your tools in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

How do I upgrade my pickaxe in Disney Dreamlight Valley?

Right now, you can get two different upgrades for your pickaxe in Disney Dreamlight Valley, and each will allow you to break different structures. You’ll have to embark on two different friendship quests for them, though.

Pickaxe Ice Upgrade

To retrieve the ice upgrade, you’ll first need to go to the Frozen Realm, which you can access by going to the Dream Castle. While in the realm, speak with Elsa and complete her quests to unlock the first ice upgrade for your pickaxe, which will allow you to break small crystals. You can only do this after having completed the majority of Anna's quests first, however.

When Elsa eventually makes her way over to the valley and moves in, you’ll be able to start her next friendship quest, ‘Breaking the Ice’. Once completed, this will then allow you to break larger crystals using your pickaxe.

Pickaxe Coral Upgrade

You can start the quest for the coral upgrade by speaking with Maori in Moana’s Realm, which you can also access from the Dream Castle.

Completing the quests with Maori within this realm will give you the ability to break small corals using your Pickaxe. Eventually, Maori will be able to move into the valley, and you can kick off the next friendship quest with him: ‘A Tale of Stone and Fire’.

By completing this quest, you’ll boost your friendship with Maori, and also be able to break large corals!

How do I upgrade my shovel in Disney Dreamlight Valley?

As of right now, there’s only one known upgrade for the shovel, and it’ll ultimately allow you to remove those pesky tree stumps blocking you from crossing the Valor Forest rivers. You’ll also be able to bag yourself some hardwood while clearing them out.

For this shovel upgrade, you’ll need to head back to the Frozen Realm again and complete Anna’s quests. Once she arrives in Dreamlight Valley, continue on with her friendship quests, and she’ll eventually help you upgrade your shovel.

How do I upgrade my watering can in Disney Dreamlight Valley?

This particular upgrade brings us back to Merlin. Honestly, I’m a little bothered that Merlin wouldn’t just use his magic to upgrade all my tools for me, especially considering all the hard work I’m doing. It is what it is.

Anyway, you’ll want to start Merlin’s friendship quests and essentially do them all. There’ll be an early quest in which Merlin lets you banish small, enchanted mushrooms with your watering can. However, later down the line, you’ll be tasked with ‘The Final Quest’ by Merlin. Complete this, and you’ll be able to water away all the mushrooms across the valley.

That’s all for upgrades, which means that there are no upgrades at present for the fishing rod! We’ll be sure to update this space if that changes. For more on Disney Dreamlight Valley, take a look at how to make ratatouille, and how you can boost your friendship levels while doing all these quests.