Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Business Segment	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Business	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents settlement terms	Less than four days
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 18,971,000	$ 43,906,000	$ 116,841,000	$ 45,675,000
Interest capitalized	2,299,000	2,629,000	4,347,000
Capitalized Computer Software, Net	12,873,000	10,287,000
Capitalized Computer Software, Accumulated Amortization	9,250,000	8,841,000
Capitalized Computer Software, Amortization	3,022,000	2,703,000	1,949,000
Impairment losses	0	0	0
Goodwill impairments	0	0	0
Other indefinite lived assets impairments	0	0	0
Self-insurance reserves	27,819,000	27,127,000
Long-term deferred revenue	1,820,000	2,414,000
Revenue and related expense for bartered ticket transactions	$ 18,000,000	$ 17,700,000	20,000,000
Number of theme parks owned and operated | Business	11	11
Number of reportable segment | Segment	1
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising and media costs	$ 106,000,000	$ 110,500,000	$ 112,000,000
Accrued Salaries, Wages and Benefits [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Self-insurance reserves	2,769,000	2,977,000
Other Liabilities [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Self-insurance reserves	$ 6,973,000	7,800,000
Computer System Development Costs [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	5 years
Amounts Due from Third-Party Credit Card Companies [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 9,597,000	$ 8,381,000
Maximum [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
FDIC insured amount	$ 250,000
Maximum [Member] | Animals [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	50 years
Minimum [Member] | Animals [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	1 year