How to Get People to Visit Your Island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The joy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons lies not just in building your own perfect island paradise, but also in sharing it with others. Whether you want friends to admire your hard work, trade items, or simply hang out, inviting people to your island is a core part of the game’s experience. The key to getting people to visit your island comes down to a few key mechanics: using the Dodo Airlines and understanding the different visit options available.

To initiate visits, you’ll need to head to the airport on your island and speak with Orville. He’s the friendly dodo bird behind the desk. He will present you with options to open your island for visitors, both locally and online. When you talk to him, you’ll have the choice to invite:

• Local players: This option is for players who are physically in the same location as you and are playing on their own Nintendo Switch consoles.
• Online players: This is for players who are connected to the internet and can be anywhere in the world. You will need an active Nintendo Switch Online membership to use this option.
• Friends: This option is available for both local and online play and will only allow players on your Nintendo Switch friend list to visit.
• Best Friends: A more exclusive option that restricts visits to only your designated Best Friends within the game.

When you invite online players you’ll be given a unique Dodo Code. This 5-character code, consisting of both letters and numbers, needs to be shared with anyone you want to visit. It’s temporary and will expire once everyone has either left or disconnected.

There are two primary ways to get more people on your island:

1. Actively inviting others: Sharing your Dodo Code with friends and online communities allows them to directly visit your island. This can be achieved through social media, forums, and other online platforms. It allows you to pick who you are inviting, and is the more common option.

2. Creating a desirable island: Make your island engaging, beautiful, and fun. This encourages people to seek out opportunities to visit you. By focusing on building a desirable and thriving island, you will likely have more people wanting to visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many visitors can my island accommodate at once?

You can have a maximum of seven visitors on your island at a time, meaning a total of eight players including yourself, at any time.

How do I get a Dodo Code?

You obtain a Dodo Code by speaking with Orville at the Dodo Airlines airport. Select the option to have visitors and choose whether they will be local or online. You’ll also need to specify who you want to invite (friends, best friends, or anyone). He’ll then provide a randomly generated 5 character code that you can share.

Can random people visit my island?

Yes, if you share your Dodo Code with the general public. Anyone who has the code can come to visit. You can also create a Dream Address, which will let players visit a copy of your island while you are not present.

What is a Dream Address and how does it work?

A Dream Address is a unique code that allows other players to visit your island in a dream state. This is perfect for sharing your island even when you are not actively playing. Visitors can explore your island, but can’t make any changes as it’s only a dream. You can obtain a Dream Address by lying on any bed within your home, selecting “go to sleep”, and then choosing to upload your island for dreaming.

How can I find Dream Addresses to visit other islands?

You can find Dream Addresses on various Animal Crossing communities, forums, and websites. Many players love to showcase their creations, and sharing their codes is very common. Many are often themed and curated to show specific builds and styles.

Can I change anything on another person’s island while visiting?

No. Visitors cannot make any permanent changes to another player’s island. The only exception is if you are visiting them as a designated “Best Friend”, they may be allowed to do some things like chop down trees or place things. Otherwise, your time is limited to exploration and interaction.

Why can’t my friend visit my island?

There could be a few reasons:

• Too many visitors: Your island may already have the maximum of seven visitors.
• Incorrect Dodo Code: Double-check the Dodo Code you provided to ensure that it was copied correctly.
• Nintendo Online issues: They (or you) may have an issue with an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription or a poor internet connection.
• Friend list restrictions: If you set it to only “Friends” or “Best Friends,” they must be on your friend list.
• Island is closed: You may have closed your island at the airport and not shared your new code with your friend.

Are there any special NPCs that visit my island?

Yes. Certain non-playable characters (NPCs) visit your island on a rotating schedule, each of them will offer unique items and services. This includes characters like Kicks, Leif, and Redd. However, these are not to be confused with villager residents.

How frequently do visiting NPCs arrive?

Visiting NPCs operate on a bi-weekly schedule, with each NPC only visiting a maximum of once per week. This means you should see a particular visiting NPC at least once every two weeks. Some NPCs like Mabel are considered temporary visitors before they set up their shops permanently.

How do I attract villagers to move to my island?

You can attract new villagers to your island in a few ways:

• Mystery Islands: Use Nook Miles Tickets to travel to random mystery islands. If you find a villager you like, invite them to move in.
• Campsite: Build a campsite and invite villagers to visit. You can also use amiibo cards to invite specific villagers.
• Selling plots of land: Ensure you have open plots of land available. Tom Nook will then try to fill them with random villagers.

How often can I find villagers on Mystery Islands?

Villagers can appear on Mystery Islands at any time of year, and there is no specific time or date that makes some villagers more or less likely to appear. If your island has an open plot of land, you should be able to find one new villager on mystery islands per day.

Why are the villagers I invited not moving to my island?

Make sure you have constructed Nook’s Cranny and submitted all the furniture for all the houses. You will be required to build all the inside and outside furniture before the villagers will move in.

How long does it take for new villagers to move to my island?

Once the furniture is crafted and the plot of land is complete, new villagers will settle in on your island one day after another. If you invited them from mystery islands, they will typically arrive the day after you invite them.

Are the first three villagers I get on my island random?

Yes. The first villagers you invite can be hand-picked from mystery islands, but the game will choose random villagers to fill the plots if you do not. After that, the following villagers will be random if you did not invite them.

What does it mean when someone “quietly leaves” my island?

The message “quietly left” typically indicates that someone has lost connection or has had their console lose power. This is more like a disconnect than an intentional exit.

By understanding these mechanics and tips, you can easily open your island to visitors and enjoy the social aspects of Animal Crossing: New Horizons to the fullest! Remember that this is the community experience of Animal Crossing, so having a welcoming environment will make you more likely to have repeat visitors. Happy playing!