Disney.com is reporting record web traffic for January 2008, crediting "strong performance in virtual worlds" for the boost. In particular, the company says the recently-launched Pirates of the Caribbean Online was a "major factor."

The company adds that comparisons to prior periods look rosier thanks to the inclusion of Club Penguin to Disney's stat counts, noting that co-promotions have helped boost performance and cross-visitation across both sites.

Disney also says that all of its community-based online activities are doing well, and that 40 million avatars have been created across its network. Its XD community site has seen 1.3 million personal channels created, and Disney Fairies users have created more than 4.5 million custom fairies, the company says.

Walt Disney Internet Group EVP and head of Disney Online Paul Yanover commented, "We couldn’t be more thrilled with this new Disney.com traffic record. Over the past year our team has worked hard to innovate and push the boundaries of visitor engagement with Disney’s franchises. Key to our approach is a focus on virtual worlds and community-driven programs. As an example, we’re particularly excited with the response we’re seeing to Pirates Online.”