Document and Entity Information - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Feb. 20, 2020	Jun. 28, 2019
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Registrant Name	SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0001564902
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Public Float			$ 1,579,259,660
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		78,726,029
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	SEAS
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity File Number	001-35883
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	27-1220297
Entity Address, Address Line One	6240 Sea Harbor Drive
Entity Address, City or Town	Orlando
Entity Address, State or Province	FL
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	32821
City Area Code	(407)
Local Phone Number	226-5011
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which statement will be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false