Information Concerning Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Rooms	$ 83,804	$ 86,173	$ 265,386	$ 273,689
Food and beverage	88,193	89,865	285,690	299,165
Other hotel revenue	27,307	31,903	80,640	94,182
Opry and Attractions	21,892	20,188	56,776	53,237
Total revenues	221,196	228,129	688,492	720,273
Operating expenses:
Rooms	26,369	24,933	78,020	72,698
Food and beverage	55,920	56,791	177,574	179,049
Other hotel expenses	65,718	72,175	203,869	219,905
Management fees	3,253		10,446
Total hotel operating expenses	151,260	153,899	469,909	471,652
Opry and Attractions	15,411	14,216	41,326	39,048
Corporate	5,699	11,217	19,001	37,483
Corporate overhead allocation
REIT conversion costs	971	51,371	21,383	57,799
Casualty loss	26	173	75	719
Impairment and other charges (non-REIT conversion costs)	110		1,357
Preopening costs		1		340
Depreciation and amortization	27,916	30,701	88,979	93,389
Total operating expenses	201,393	261,578	642,030	700,430
Operating income (loss)	19,803	(33,449)	46,462	19,843
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(15,187)	(15,136)	(45,934)	(43,949)
Interest income	3,020	3,081	9,123	9,256
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(4,181)		(4,181)
Income from unconsolidated companies	10		10	109
Other gains and (losses), net	2,318	2,251	2,365	2,251
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	5,783	(43,253)	7,845	(12,490)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	12,450	16,581	80,526	798
Equity in subsidiaries' earnings, net
Income (loss) from continuing operations	18,233	(26,672)	88,371	(11,692)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(202)	(2)	(181)
Net income (loss)	18,031	(26,674)	88,190	(11,692)
Comprehensive income (loss)	18,196	(26,674)	97,927	(11,692)
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Revenues:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel revenue		(6,328)		5,757
Opry and Attractions		7		21
Total revenues		(6,321)		5,778
Operating expenses:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel expenses
Management fees
Total hotel operating expenses
Opry and Attractions
Corporate		5,406		16,446
Corporate overhead allocation	(12)		2,108
REIT conversion costs		22,046		27,426
Casualty loss		45		321
Impairment and other charges (non-REIT conversion costs)
Preopening costs				22
Depreciation and amortization		851		2,377
Total operating expenses	(12)	28,348	2,108	46,592
Operating income (loss)	12	(34,669)	(2,108)	(40,814)
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(6,402)	(15,299)	(22,308)	(44,593)
Interest income		24,952		75,413
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(4,181)		(4,181)
Income from unconsolidated companies
Other gains and (losses), net
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	(10,571)	(25,016)	(28,597)	(9,994)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	2,732	8,276	2,508	637
Equity in subsidiaries' earnings, net	25,870	(9,934)	114,279	(2,335)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	18,031	(26,674)	88,190	(11,692)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes
Net income (loss)	18,031	(26,674)	88,190	(11,692)
Comprehensive income (loss)	18,196	(26,674)	97,927	(11,692)
Issuer [Member]
Revenues:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel revenue
Opry and Attractions
Total revenues
Operating expenses:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel expenses
Management fees
Total hotel operating expenses
Opry and Attractions
Corporate	201		867
Corporate overhead allocation
REIT conversion costs
Casualty loss
Impairment and other charges (non-REIT conversion costs)
Preopening costs
Depreciation and amortization
Total operating expenses	201		867
Operating income (loss)	(201)		(867)
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(8,774)		(23,587)
Interest income
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Income from unconsolidated companies
Other gains and (losses), net
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	(8,975)		(24,454)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	4,720		2,689
Equity in subsidiaries' earnings, net
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(4,255)		(21,765)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes
Net income (loss)	(4,255)		(21,765)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(4,255)		(21,765)
Guarantors [Member]
Revenues:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel revenue	64,147		200,662
Opry and Attractions
Total revenues	64,147		200,662
Operating expenses:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel expenses	10,891		33,391
Management fees
Total hotel operating expenses	10,891		33,391
Opry and Attractions
Corporate			1
Corporate overhead allocation	2,914		8,519
REIT conversion costs
Casualty loss
Impairment and other charges (non-REIT conversion costs)			1,246
Preopening costs
Depreciation and amortization	14,936		44,823
Total operating expenses	28,741		87,980
Operating income (loss)	35,406		112,682
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized
Interest income
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Income from unconsolidated companies
Other gains and (losses), net
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	35,406		112,682
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(8,821)		133,396
Equity in subsidiaries' earnings, net
Income (loss) from continuing operations	26,585		246,078
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes
Net income (loss)	26,585		246,078
Comprehensive income (loss)	26,585		246,078
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Revenues:
Rooms	83,804	86,173	265,386	273,689
Food and beverage	88,193	89,865	285,690	299,165
Other hotel revenue	28,723	31,961	91,040	94,343
Opry and Attractions	21,892	20,181	56,776	53,216
Total revenues	222,612	228,180	698,892	720,413
Operating expenses:
Rooms	26,369	24,933	78,020	72,698
Food and beverage	55,920	56,791	177,574	179,049
Other hotel expenses	117,488	72,233	370,913	220,066
Management fees	3,253		10,446
Total hotel operating expenses	203,030	153,957	636,953	471,813
Opry and Attractions	15,411	14,216	41,326	39,048
Corporate	5,498	5,811	18,133	21,037
Corporate overhead allocation		(6,328)		5,757
REIT conversion costs	971	29,325	21,383	30,373
Casualty loss	26	128	75	398
Impairment and other charges (non-REIT conversion costs)	110		111
Preopening costs		1		318
Depreciation and amortization	12,980	29,850	44,156	91,012
Total operating expenses	238,026	226,960	762,137	659,756
Operating income (loss)	(15,414)	1,220	(63,245)	60,657
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(11)	(29,965)	(39)	(89,648)
Interest income	3,020	8,257	9,123	24,135
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Income from unconsolidated companies	10		10	109
Other gains and (losses), net	2,318	2,251	2,365	2,251
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	(10,077)	(18,237)	(51,786)	(2,496)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	13,819	8,305	(58,067)	161
Equity in subsidiaries' earnings, net
Income (loss) from continuing operations	3,742	(9,932)	(109,853)	(2,335)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(202)	(2)	(181)
Net income (loss)	3,540	(9,934)	(110,034)	(2,335)
Comprehensive income (loss)	3,705	(9,934)	(100,297)	(2,335)
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel revenue	(65,563)	6,270	(211,062)	(5,918)
Opry and Attractions
Total revenues	(65,563)	6,270	(211,062)	(5,918)
Operating expenses:
Rooms
Food and beverage
Other hotel expenses	(62,661)	(58)	(200,435)	(161)
Management fees
Total hotel operating expenses	(62,661)	(58)	(200,435)	(161)
Opry and Attractions
Corporate
Corporate overhead allocation	(2,902)	6,328	(10,627)	(5,757)
REIT conversion costs
Casualty loss
Impairment and other charges (non-REIT conversion costs)
Preopening costs
Depreciation and amortization
Total operating expenses	(65,563)	6,270	(211,062)	(5,918)
Operating income (loss)
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized		30,128		90,292
Interest income		(30,128)		(90,292)
Loss on extinguishment of debt
Income from unconsolidated companies
Other gains and (losses), net
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations
(Provision) benefit for income taxes
Equity in subsidiaries' earnings, net	(25,870)	9,934	(114,279)	2,335
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(25,870)	9,934	(114,279)	2,335
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes
Net income (loss)	(25,870)	9,934	(114,279)	2,335
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (26,035)	$ 9,934	$ (124,016)	$ 2,335