Description of the Business and Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) Business	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) Business Segment	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of theme parks owned and operated | Business	12		12
Number of theme parks opened for a portion of the year | Business			7
Number of reportable segment | Segment			1
Revenue and related expense for bartered ticket transactions	$ 4,300	$ 4,200	$ 12,900	$ 15,200
Long term deferred revenue	10,638	10,548	$ 10,638	10,548
Revenue, practical expedient, initial application and transition, nondisclosure of transaction price allocation to remaining performance obligation			true
Revenue, practical expedient, incremental cost of obtaining contract			true
Revenue	483,175	437,712	$ 1,092,262	997,819
Non-cash goodwill impairment charge				269,332
Remaining goodwill balance	66,278		66,278		$ 66,278
SeaWorld Orlando Reporting Unit [Member]
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Non-cash goodwill impairment charge				269,300
Discovery Cove Reporting Unit [Member]
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Remaining goodwill balance	66,300		66,300		$ 66,300
Food, Merchandise and Other [Member]
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Revenue	203,302	$ 172,745	456,580	$ 392,812
Food, Merchandise and Other [Member] | ZHG Stock Purchase Agreement [Member]
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Revenue	1,300		3,800
Middle East Project [Member]
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation [Line Items]
Long term deferred revenue	10,000		10,000
Deferred costs incurred under Middle East Project	$ 3,600		$ 3,600