A presidential or political visit is one of the unique and important ways the United States marks. A space worthy of accompanying the prevalence and environment of the president, or a place considered American, that aspiring presidents might want to take pictures there, taking a special place in American culture.

Twelve of the past 14 presidents have visited the Independence Hall in Philadelphia during their political careers. American politicians often visit places that are very important to national character. The Hall of Independence is both the place for signing the Declaration of Independence and the drafting of the Constitution.

The United States has many sacred civilian spaces, where the country hopes when celebrating or reflecting on American identity. Some of these places were built for the clear purpose of serving these functions: the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, and the Gatway Arch in St. Louis, built to commemorate the country's western expansion.

Some of these places earned the name by their connection to history: Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, the site of major events in the American Revolution; Pearl Harbor National Memorial, commemorating the death of the American in Japan attacks, which inspired us to enter World War II; and Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, the 1965 civil rights protesters attacked and bleeding from local police, who crossed the bridge two weeks later under federal court orders.

There are other places that emerge through some kind of national consensus, whose special status marks their special status over time as Americans mean.

Although twelve of the last 14 presidents may have visited the Independence Hall, the same 12 also visited some places that were often forgotten when accounting for the ruins of the Saint Citizens: Disney theme parks.

Record the cold and second chance

In my book Disney Theme Parks and the National Narrative of America: Mirrors for All of Us , I explore how Disneyland’s Anaheim, California, and Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida became the most important space for celebrating and creating American identity.

One of the reasons for this is the legalization of the president’s visits granted to the website. Forty years ago, this month, Walt Disney World received a very special visitor.

In January 1985, President Ronald Reagan prepared for his second sworn in office, and temperatures in the Washington area dropped to record lows. The inauguration and some related celebrations will be held outdoors, but in severe conditions, it can draw attention to the thousands of plans to attend. As a result, the usual celebrations, including the popular inaugural parade, were cancelled to perform smaller events indoors.

Of the 25 high school parade bands traveling from places like Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Michigan, only a few were able to perform for the president. This disappoints thousands of students and their families.

First, however, in presidential history, the first band parade will have a second chance to march outside the ceremonial space in Washington, known as Walt Disneyland, another capital of the nation.

In April 1985, Walt Disney World announced that it had partnered with Days Inn, Greehound Bus Lines and Burger King to provide about 4,000 students with reduced price accommodation and food to enjoy a weekend at the theme park and then perform in its own parade on Memorial Day on May 27.

Not only can the band perform at Disney's EPCOT Center, but they can also perform for the President, who flew from Washington to attend this special parade.

New website for American identity

Memorial Day is the day of the parade itself, warm and sunny. Disney tourists are packed with 1.2 miles of parade routes and wave the American flag while listening to patriotic songs. The president and first lady Nancy Reagan monitored the march. The president and Disney First Lady, Mickey and Minnie Mouse also joined them.

This moment is excellent for several reasons.

First, Reagan was one of the hosts of the show "Dateline Disneyland", a live report by Dateline Disneyland in 1955, only 30 years ago, and no one knew he would become the 40th president of the United States.

Second, this visit marks an important moment for Disney theme parks as the ruins of American identity.

Reagan moved directly from the Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, a precious American tradition, to the appearance of Epcot, who introduced the "New American Revolution" in his economic policy speech to the crowd. The Second American Revolution was not announced in front of the Philadelphia Independence Hall, but at the American Adventure Pavilion in Orlando.

I believe that taking a photo with Mickey's - Mickey wearing Uncle Sam and Minnie in a colonial dress - captured the idea, and I believe Disney is culturally legal as a national park or a historic spot, just like a celebration of American stories.

Longtime Disney actor Terry Brinkoetter remembers presidential visits like Reagan's confirmed Disneyland and Walt Disney World "are one to learn and be inspired to continue our shared journey toward a more perfect alliance."

Disney Parks has become a stop for secular pilgrimage tours made by presidents and ordinary citizens, a place to understand what it means to be an American.