Kermit the Frog sits on a log, singing “The Rainbow Connection” and playing the banjo. Behind him he is joined by Scooter, the Swedish Chef, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Sam the Eagle, and Beauregard. The stage behind them is decorated with a backdrop of the sky and a colorful border.

9 of Our Favorite Disney Rainbows

By the D23 Team

A wise frog once asked, “Why are there so many songs about rainbows?” The fact that something so beautiful is a natural occurrence—a cascade of colors across the sky—is one of the things that makes it magical. The rainbow is a symbol of hope and positivity and has become a symbol of Pride Month and a form of celebration. So, you can see how someone might be inspired to write a song or two about them. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite rainbows from the worlds of Disney, so read on to find your rainbow connection—from us at D23 to the lovers, the dreamers, and you!

“The Rainbow Connection” (The Muppet Movie)
We would be remiss not to start our rainbow roundup with this Oscar®-nominated tune that opens The Muppet Movie. The song ponders not just why there are so many songs about rainbows—but wonders what it is that motivates the dreamers and believers. It’s a beautiful ode to all of us who are searching for something bigger, who wish upon stars and see the magic in the mundane. Over 30 artists have covered the song, asking the same questions and believing in the same dreams that Kermit the Frog did in 1979. Sure, most of us aren’t banjo-playing green frogs, but there is one thing that unites us all—the rainbow connection.

Loki, Valkyrie, Thor, and The Hulk stand on the Rainbow Bridge, facing the goddess Hela. The Rainbow Bridge leads into the city of Asgard, which sits among green mountaintops.

The Rainbow Bridge (The Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Now it’s time for a literal rainbow connection—powered by the Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge allows the residents of Asgard to travel throughout the Nine Realms, including to Midgard… aka our home planet of Earth! While the bridge was destroyed during the events of Thor: Ragnarok, the hammer Stormbreaker is able to channel the power of the Bifrost and allow Thor to transport himself across the Nine Realms again.

The goddess Iris soars across a blue sky. She is depicted as a human-like woman with a rainbow emanating from her body, hair, and clothes, which spans out behind her creating a rainbow across the sky.

Iris (Fantasia)
Fantasia is a feast for the eyes and ears, celebrating classical musical and the wonders of animation. During the fifth segment of the film, set to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, we witness a celebration of mythological creatures and gods joining together in festivity—only for their fun to be interrupted by Zeus, who summons a storm and thunderbolts to ruin their fun. But there’s one thing we know for sure—after a rainstorm, there must be a rainbow! That’s where Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, comes in and appears to light up the sky with the beautiful colors that seem to emanate from her body, returning the joy and festivity to the valley below.

Rainbow Caverns (Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, Disneyland)
Disneyland’s Frontierland is home to the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness—but once upon a time, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad wasn’t speeding through perilous mines and desert scenery. Instead, guests could take a leisurely ride on Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. Leaving behind the mining town of Rainbow Ridge, the train would take guests through scenes of wildlife and nature before finally traveling through the dazzling Rainbow Caverns. The caverns featured gorgeous, colorful waterfalls and pools and a version of them can still be seen at the beginning of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, lighting up the caverns with color to this day.

Isabela Madrigal’s Powers (Encanto)
Under the pressure of being the perfect grandchild, Isabela used her powers over plants to only make beautiful flowers bloom—until one day, while in an argument with her sister, Mirabel, she discovered that she could create so much more when she removed the pressure for perfection from her work. This results in a joyful display of her control over plants during the song “What Else Can I Do?” Petals and powder go flying, spreading a rainbow of color all over Casita—and Isabela’s dress. While it is no longer considered “perfect” by the standards she previously held herself to, Isabela’s dress is now covered in the rainbow of colors she herself can create with her new control over her powers.

World of Color at Disney California Adventure park, featuring Paradise Bay illuminated by a rainbow of colorfully lit fountains. Behind the bay, the Pixar Pal-Around is illuminated in blues and greens, while Incredicoaster is lit with orange lights. 

World of Color (Disney California Adventure)
The world is a carousel of color—and naturally, you’ll see rainbows rise from Disney California Adventure’s Paradise Bay and into the sky while watching World of Color. The nighttime spectacular, current wowing guests as World of Color – ONE in celebration of Disney’s 100th anniversary, features dazzling projection and lighting effects on 1,200 fountains. If you’ve ever wanted to see the night light up in a rainbow of color, make sure to catch a showing of this can’t-miss experience. Over half a dozen different versions of World of Color have been presented on Paradise Bay, but the one thing that unites them all is the gorgeous rainbows lighting up the water.

In a scene from Inside Out, Rainbow Unicorn, a white unicorn with a rainbow mane, reads a script in the foreground. Behind her, Sadness, Joy, and Bing Bong walk past. Joy and Bing Bong can barely contain their excitement, while Sadness looks at Rainbow Unicorn without much interest.

Rainbow Unicorn (Inside Out)
She’s a star literally from our dreams! You might know her from “Fairy Dream Adventure VII”… or from watching Inside Out, where Rainbow Unicorn serves as the lead actress in many of Riley’s dreams—and who wouldn’t want to dream about such a fabulous unicorn with rainbow flowing locks? …As long as Jangles the Clown doesn’t interrupt your Fairy Dream adventure.

Figment’s Rainbows (Journey Into Imagination and Journey Into Imagination With Figment, EPCOT)
Rainbows have inspired everything from paintings to songs—perhaps, you could say, they spark our imaginations? Dreamfinder and his pal Figment would certainly agree, as Figment himself creates a rainbow in the original Journey Into Imagination attraction at EPCOT, during a segment of the attraction celebrating the joys of artistic creation. Fans of the original attraction may also recall the Rainbow Corridor inside the ImageWorks play area. Guests could walk through a tunnel of colored lights that cycled through the colors of the rainbow.

The current iteration of the attraction also features an artistic Figment sharing the colors of the rainbow—this time, Figment uses a paint bottle to create a sparkling rainbow that spans across the finale of the attraction.

A green boat sails under a bright, sparkling rainbow that has spread across the sky. In the foreground, merpeople float in the water, waving goodbye to Ariel and Prince Eric, who can be faintly seen waving from the balcony of the boat.

King Triton’s Rainbow (The Little Mermaid)
Gifted human legs by her father, King Triton, Ariel is finally able to live out her dreams of exploring the human world and marrying Prince Eric. King Triton uses his powers to cast a rainbow across the sky as her mermaid friends and family wave goodbye to the adventurous princess, creating a visually stunning ending to the 1989 animated classic.