Capital contributed to subsidiary from exercise of stock options.

No definition available.

Name:	seas_CapitalContributedToSubsidiaryFromExerciseOfStockOptions
Namespace Prefix:	seas_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount allocated to treasury stock. Treasury stock is common and preferred shares of an entity that were issued, repurchased by the entity, and are held in its treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405834&loc=d3e23315-112656

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29,30)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Equity impact of the cost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis=seas_ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_ParentCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=seas_OmnibusIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Schedule I - Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Aug. 02, 2019
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Repurchase of treasury shares, shares	469,785	5,615,874	3,654,816
Stock repurchased during period, total cost	$ 12,406,000	$ 150,000,000	$ 98,032,000
Treasury stock at cost	415,309,000	402,903,000
Share Repurchase Program [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share Repurchase Program, authorized amount	250,000,000.0			$ 250,000,000.0
Share Repurchase Program, remaining authorized repurchase amount	237,600,000
Parent Company [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Capital contributed to subsidiary from exercises of stock options	2,621,000	$ 3,696,000	$ 4,230,000
Share Repurchase Program, authorized amount	$ 250,000,000.0
Repurchase of treasury shares, shares	469,785	5,615,874	3,654,816
Stock repurchased during period, total cost	$ 12,400,000	$ 150,000,000.0	$ 98,000,000.0
Treasury stock at cost	415,309,000	$ 402,903,000
Parent Company [Member] \| Share Repurchase Program [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share Repurchase Program, remaining authorized repurchase amount	$ 237,600,000
Omnibus Incentive Plan [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for future issuance	15,000,000
Shares available for future issuance	7,680,000
Omnibus Incentive Plan [Member] \| Parent Company [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for future issuance	15,000,000
Shares available for future issuance	7,680,000