Putting the "yo" in "yo ho ho," Disney's (NYSE: DIS ) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest amassed a meaty plunder at the multiplex over the weekend. The film took in $136 million domestically over its first three days, toppling the 2002 record set by Sony's (NYSE: SNE ) Spider-Man.
Because theater admission prices inch up every year, this is a record that is perpetually broken. The fact that it took this long to end Spidey's reign is indicative of the struggles that the industry has endured over the past few years, in an age in which Hollywood releases hit the DVD shelves sooner so that viewers can enjoy them in the convenience of their lavish home entertainment centers.
Disney's success is also notable because the big beneficiary here is Disney. Sony has been served well by the Spider-Man franchise, but it also had to let creator Marvel Entertainment (NYSE: MVL ) in on a piece of the action. Since Pirates is based on a Disney attraction, the family entertainment giant can go whole hog on the property.
As I had pointed out last week, this is the perfect scenario, as the movie stirs up interest in the company's flagship theme-park business. That, in turn, feeds right back into exposing the property to the tens of millions of guests who visit Disneyland in California and Florida's Magic Kingdom annually.
After visiting Disney World this week, it seems as if Disney has created an even bigger monster. There's actually a line now for the fast-loading Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride. Some nifty themed enhancements and three lifelike audio-animatronic additions of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow character had teenaged girls swooning and kids of all ages rubbing their eyes.
Remember when Davy Crockett raccoon hats or mouse ears were the headwear of choice? Pirate wear seems to be the garb of choice around the park these days.
Come January, Disney will be exploiting the celluloid success by selling tickets to late-night events themed to pirates and princesses. Disney has always had a hold on the younger set, with toddlers lining up to take pictures with costumed characters and young girls smitten by princess-themed meals. Now the Mouse has a vehicle to reach a more jaded audience.
Disney wouldn't dare let this chance slip away. True to its theme, this is the kind of pillaging that makes a pirate proud.
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Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz considers Disney World to be his home away from home, or the other way around. He does own shares of Disney. He is a member of the
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