Description of the Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of the Business	1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. (“SEA”) (collectively, the “Company”), owns and operates twelve theme parks within the United States. Prior to December 1, 2009, the Company did not have any operations. On December 1, 2009, the Company acquired all of the outstanding equity interest of Busch Entertainment LLC and affiliates from Anheuser Busch Companies, Inc. and Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“ABI”). At that time, the Company was owned by ten limited partnerships, ultimately controlled by affiliates of The Blackstone Group L.P. (“Blackstone”) and certain co-investors. The Company completed an initial public offering in April 2013. See further discussion relating to subsequent ownership changes in Note 17–Related-Party Transactions. The Company operates SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; and San Diego, California, and Busch Gardens theme parks in Tampa, Florida, and Williamsburg, Virginia. The Company operates water attraction theme parks in Orlando, Florida (Aquatica); San Antonio, Texas (Aquatica); Chula Vista, California, (Aquatica); Tampa, Florida (Adventure Island); and Williamsburg, Virginia (Water Country USA). The Company also operates a reservations-only theme park in Orlando, Florida (Discovery Cove) and a seasonal theme park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania (Sesame Place). Historically more than 50% of the Company’s revenues were generated in the State of Florida which exposes the Company to risks affecting the Florida market, such as natural disasters, severe weather or other incidents. During the year ended December 31, 2020, more than 70% of the Company’s revenues were generated in the State of Florida, due in part to the temporary park closures and limited operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. See Impact of Global COVID-19 Pandemic section which follows for further discussion on factors impacting 2020 revenues. Impact of Global COVID-19 Pandemic In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in compliance with government restrictions, the Company temporarily closed all of its theme parks effective March 16, 2020. Beginning in June 2020, the Company began the phased reopening of some of its parks with enhanced health, safety and sanitizing measures, capacity limitations, modified/limited operations, reduced hours and/or reduced operating days. In particular, on June 6, its Aquatica water park in Texas reopened; on June 11, all five of its Florida parks reopened; on June 19, its SeaWorld park in Texas reopened; on July 24, its Sesame Place park in Pennsylvania reopened; on August 5, its Busch Gardens park in Virginia reopened and on August 28, its SeaWorld park in California reopened on a limited basis, following the State of California’s guidance for reopening zoos. In compliance with revised state governmental restrictions issued late in the fourth quarter in California, the Company once again closed its SeaWorld park in California effective December 7, 2020. The Company was unable to open its Aquatica water park in California and its Water Country USA water park in Virginia for the 2020 operating season. Additionally, during the third quarter, the State of Virginia had a state mandated capacity restriction of 1,000 guests at a time which significantly restricted attendance for the Company’s Busch Gardens park in that state. On October 29, 2020, the State of Virginia revised its theme park guidance and modified the methodology for calculating capacity at theme parks. As a result, capacity at this park increased from 1,000 guests to approximately 4,000 guests at a time. On January 15, 2021, while the Company’s SeaWorld park in California park remained closed, the Company introduced a limited time drive-through only experience for guests at this park. Subsequently, based on updated state government guidance issued in January 2021, the Company has since reopened its SeaWorld park in California on February 6, 2021 on a limited basis, once again following California guidance for reopening zoos. The Company continues to monitor guidance from, and engage with, federal, state and local authorities and may adjust its plans accordingly. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Company has taken proactive measures for the safety of its guests, employees and animals, to manage costs and expenditures, and to maximize liquidity in response to the temporary park closures and limited reopenings related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these measures included, but are not limited to: (i) increased its revolving credit commitments on March 10th; (ii) issued $227.5 million in first-priority senior secured notes and $500.0 million in second-priority senior secured notes to raise additional capital and further enhance available liquidity; (iii) entered into amendments to its existing senior secured credit facilities to amend financial covenants; (iv) furloughed approximately 95% of its employees upon closing all of its parks; (v) obtained payroll tax credits and deferred certain social security payroll taxes under the CARES act; (vi) temporarily reduced executive officers’ base salary by 20% through November 2020; (vii) eliminated and/or deferred all non-essential operating expenses at all of its parks and corporate headquarters while the parks were closed and actively managing operating expenses; (viii) eliminated substantially all advertising and marketing spend while the parks were closed and strategically managing marketing spend as parks reopened; (ix) substantially reduced or deferred all capital expenditures starting in March 2020 (other than minimal essential capital expenditures) when the parks were closed and postponed the opening of rides that were still under construction and scheduled to open in 2020; (x) worked with certain of its vendors and other business partners to manage, defer, and/or abate certain costs and payments and; (xi) added additional levels of review and approval for payments and cash disbursements which remains in place. Concurrent with the reopening of some of its parks, the Company began to prudently bring some employees back from furlough. Some of its employees remain on furlough while others have been transitioned from a furloughed status to a permanent layoff. See Note 21–Severance and Other Separation Costs for additional disclosure. The COVID-19 pandemic, resulting park closures and limited park reopenings have had, and are likely to continue to have, a material impact on the Company’s financial results.

Description of the Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. (“SEA”) (collectively, the “Company”), owns and operates twelve theme parks within the United States. Prior to December 1, 2009, the Company did not have any operations. On December 1, 2009, the Company acquired all of the outstanding equity interest of Busch Entertainment LLC and affiliates from Anheuser Busch Companies, Inc. and Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“ABI”). At that time, the Company was owned by ten limited partnerships, ultimately controlled by affiliates of The Blackstone Group L.P. (“Blackstone”) and certain co-investors. The Company completed an initial public offering in April 2013. See further discussion relating to subsequent ownership changes in Note 17–Related-Party Transactions.

The Company operates SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; and San Diego, California, and Busch Gardens theme parks in Tampa, Florida, and Williamsburg, Virginia. The Company operates water attraction theme parks in Orlando, Florida (Aquatica); San Antonio, Texas (Aquatica); Chula Vista, California, (Aquatica); Tampa, Florida (Adventure Island); and Williamsburg, Virginia (Water Country USA). The Company also operates a reservations-only theme park in Orlando, Florida (Discovery Cove) and a seasonal theme park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania (Sesame Place).

Historically more than 50% of the Company’s revenues were generated in the State of Florida which exposes the Company to risks affecting the Florida market, such as natural disasters, severe weather or other incidents. During the year ended December 31, 2020, more than 70% of the Company’s revenues were generated in the State of Florida, due in part to the temporary park closures and limited operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. See Impact of Global COVID-19 Pandemic section which follows for further discussion on factors impacting 2020 revenues.

Impact of Global COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in compliance with government restrictions, the Company temporarily closed all of its theme parks effective March 16, 2020. Beginning in June 2020, the Company began the phased reopening of some of its parks with enhanced health, safety and sanitizing measures, capacity limitations, modified/limited operations, reduced hours and/or reduced operating days. In particular, on June 6, its Aquatica water park in Texas reopened; on June 11, all five of its Florida parks reopened; on June 19, its SeaWorld park in Texas reopened; on July 24, its Sesame Place park in Pennsylvania reopened; on August 5, its Busch Gardens park in Virginia reopened and on August 28, its SeaWorld park in California reopened on a limited basis, following the State of California’s guidance for reopening zoos. In compliance with revised state governmental restrictions issued late in the fourth quarter in California, the Company once again closed its SeaWorld park in California effective December 7, 2020. The Company was unable to open its Aquatica water park in California and its Water Country USA water park in Virginia for the 2020 operating season. Additionally, during the third quarter, the State of Virginia had a state mandated capacity restriction of 1,000 guests at a time which significantly restricted attendance for the Company’s Busch Gardens park in that state. On October 29, 2020, the State of Virginia revised its theme park guidance and modified the methodology for calculating capacity at theme parks. As a result, capacity at this park increased from 1,000 guests to approximately 4,000 guests at a time.

On January 15, 2021, while the Company’s SeaWorld park in California park remained closed, the Company introduced a limited time drive-through only experience for guests at this park. Subsequently, based on updated state government guidance issued in January 2021, the Company has since reopened its SeaWorld park in California on February 6, 2021 on a limited basis, once again following California guidance for reopening zoos. The Company continues to monitor guidance from, and engage with, federal, state and local authorities and may adjust its plans accordingly.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Company has taken proactive measures for the safety of its guests, employees and animals, to manage costs and expenditures, and to maximize liquidity in response to the temporary park closures and limited reopenings related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these measures included, but are not limited to: (i) increased its revolving credit commitments on March 10th; (ii) issued $227.5 million in first-priority senior secured notes and $500.0 million in second-priority senior secured notes to raise additional capital and further enhance available liquidity; (iii) entered into amendments to its existing senior secured credit facilities to amend financial covenants; (iv) furloughed approximately 95% of its employees upon closing all of its parks; (v) obtained payroll tax credits and deferred certain social security payroll taxes under the CARES act; (vi) temporarily reduced executive officers’ base salary by 20% through November 2020; (vii) eliminated and/or deferred all non-essential operating expenses at all of its parks and corporate headquarters while the parks were closed and actively managing operating expenses; (viii) eliminated substantially all advertising and marketing spend while the parks were closed and strategically managing marketing spend as parks reopened; (ix) substantially reduced or deferred all capital expenditures starting in March 2020 (other than minimal essential capital expenditures) when the parks were closed and postponed the opening of rides that were still under construction and scheduled to open in 2020; (x) worked with certain of its vendors and other business partners to manage, defer, and/or abate certain costs and payments and; (xi) added additional levels of review and approval for payments and cash disbursements which remains in place. Concurrent with the reopening of some of its parks, the Company began to prudently bring some employees back from furlough. Some of its

employees remain on furlough while others have been transitioned from a furloughed status to a permanent layoff. See Note 21–Severance and Other Separation Costs for additional disclosure.

The COVID-19 pandemic, resulting park closures and limited park reopenings have had, and are likely to continue to have, a material impact on the Company’s financial results.