Disney's Pixar produced animated hits like The Incredibles

Net profit for the three months to 1 July hit $1.1bn, up from �811m in the same period of 2005.

Theme park sales rose 11%, boosted by a jump in guest spending and attendance.

Profits were also lifted by two box office hits - the latest Pirates Of The Caribbean film and animated car racing movie Cars.

Cars is the first film to emerge from Disney's $7.4bn (�4.1bn) takeover of Pixar, the animation firm behind films including Toy Story and The Incredibles.

One cloud over the deal is that Pixar could face an investigation over claims that it paid senior executives back-dated stock options that locked in the highest potential profits.

Federal regulators are already investigating more than 80 companies on concerns that they may have manipulated stock option grants.

Job cuts

Last month, Walt Disney announced it was cutting 650 jobs worldwide as part of plans to produce fewer adult-oriented films and concentrate on family blockbusters.

Films like Pirates of the Caribbean offer lucrative marketing tie-ins

It wants to reduce its film output from about 18 to 12 movies a year, with only two or three from adult-oriented subsidiary Touchstone Pictures.

Touchstone releases do not match Disney films' profits or provide the same marketing tie-ins, the company said.