I've been playing Disney Dreamlight Valley (DDV) from the very start. When the expansion, A Rift in Time, came out, I was in two minds about whether to buy it. Why? The real die hard DDV fans weren't all that enthusiastic about the first impression. Still, I bought the expansion once I got paid, since I did feel like new 'worlds' and new characters. You can think of A Rift in Time as a whole new world, containing yet more areas (biomes) of its own. In the expansion you get new tools and also new options when it comes to plants, vegetables, fruit, furniture, and so on.

My first impression of A Rift in Time

Naturally I was wildly enthusiastic when I found the first new characters and also explored the first new biome. Honestly, I did drop off fairly quickly again, because I wasn't progressing that fast and I actually found it a bit complicated to 'maintain' two worlds and also to keep the quests apart. Which quest do I need to play out in which world, and why am I not getting further in the quests on Eternity Isle (the new world). So at a certain point I stopped when Eve started being difficult about photos, Jafar had me searching for vague parts with my new staff, and Scrooge had me collecting all kinds of impossible things. On top of that I also got fairly frustrated that I kept getting blocked a lot. I mean, a lot of areas of Eternity Isle are (understandably) not immediately accessible, and you need to collect enough 'Mist' again to make them accessible.

A week sick at home

Not fun exactly, but I was forced to stay home for a week. For me it was actually the perfect moment to pick gaming back up. To pick Disney Dreamlight Valley back up. I got a bit more serious with A Rift in Time, and I quickly noticed my initial irritation fading away. Yes, I really had to put effort into collecting enough Mist, but once I got into the flow, it went pretty smoothly. On top of that I also focused more on the 'quests' with the residents, which made it a fair bit more challenging again too. It also helped me progress further. I also let go of needing to fully 'empty' both 'worlds' every single day by collecting fruit and so on.
Once I finally had enough mist to open up the various Biomes, it quickly became a lot more fun. I encountered new characters with new quests and new things to collect.

The new 'biomes'

A Rift in Time did indeed come with a whole new world, Eternity Isle. This world also has various Biomes of its own. They're genuinely completely different Biomes from the original game, and as far as I'm concerned you really do feel like you're in a different world. Your home base is at Ancient Landing. Your house is there, and Goofy's little stall is nearby too, that spot is called The Docks. Then you have The Glittering Dunes. That area really lives up to its name. It's a huge area full of sand dunes, cobras, cacti, and so on. As a third biome you have The Wild Tangle, a genuine rainforest with exotic new plants and animals.
I really loved discovering what there was to collect through 'mining', fishing, and which obstacles you could clear with which material. It added yet another layer to cooking recipes and making new items.

New characters in A Rift in Time

A Rift in Time also came with a whole new set of characters. So you'd never get these characters if you don't buy this expansion. Very early on you get acquainted with Jafar, since he's the one who initially helps you explore Eternity Isle. Eve also appears fairly quickly. You only get to Rapunzel after quite a bit of effort, because you first need enough mist to unlock certain areas. Gaston also plays a fairly big role in discovering new things, for instance he gets his own house you have to help build, and even his own market stall, which is thus NOT Goofy's!

Is it worth it?

Honestly, at the start I was genuinely disappointed, until I'd put a fair bit of time into it. They're interesting new places to roam around in, and definitely fun characters too, which are a nice addition to your game. I genuinely find the biomes more interesting to roam through, and visually more appealing too. Personally I'd also be sad to miss out on the characters that come with the expansion.
It's also really handy that you can now travel fairly quickly between the two worlds using fast travel. This way you can also see which character is in which world. If you need someone, you can find them fairly quickly! Of course there are also fun new recipes to make with Remy.
Definitely keep checking the offers, and consider whether you want a new challenge in Disney Dreamlight Valley. For me it ended up being a good expansion and definitely worth it.

Disney Dreamlight Valley; A Rift in Time