XML 22 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.1
Description of the Business and Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 27, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Description of the Business and Significant Accounting Policies Description of the Business and Significant Accounting Policies:
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a material impact on our business in 2020, had a continuing negative impact in 2021 and may have a longer-term negative effect. On March 14, 2020, we closed our properties in response to the spread of COVID-19 and local government mandates. We ultimately resumed only partial operations at 10 of our 13 properties in 2020. Due to soft demand trends upon reopening in 2020, park operating calendars were adjusted, including reduced operating days per week and operating hours within each operating day and earlier closure of certain parks than a typical operating year. Following March 14, 2020, Knott's Berry Farm's partial operations in 2020 were limited to culinary festivals.

In May 2021, we opened all of our U.S. properties for the 2021 operating season on a staggered basis with capacity restrictions, guest reservations, and other operating protocols in place. Our 2021 operating calendars were designed to align with anticipated capacity restrictions, guest demand and labor availability, including fewer operating days in July and August at some of our smaller properties and additional operating days in September and the fourth quarter at most of our properties. As vaccination distribution efforts continued during the second quarter of 2021 and we were able to hire additional labor, we removed most capacity restrictions, guest reservation requirements and other protocols at our U.S. properties beginning in July 2021. We were also able to open our Canadian property, Canada's Wonderland, in July 2021. Canada's Wonderland operated with capacity restrictions, guest reservations, and other operating protocols in place throughout 2021. We adjusted our park operating calendars in 2021 and may continue to adjust future park operating calendars as we respond to changes in guest demand, labor availability and any federal, provincial, state and local restrictions. We currently anticipate returning to full park operating calendars for the 2022 operating season at all of our parks. Five of our 13 properties opened for the 2022 operating season in the first quarter of 2022 as planned, including Knott's Berry Farm which has remained open since May 2021.

Our future operations are dependent on factors outside of our knowledge or control, including the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and actions taken to contain its spread and mitigate its public health effects. Furthermore, management has made significant estimates and assumptions to determine our liquidity requirements and estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including financial results in the near and long-term. Actual results could materially differ from these estimates depending on the ultimate extent of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significant Accounting Policies
Except for the changes described below, our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-Q report have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies described in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, which were included in the Form 10-K filed on February 18, 2022. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes included in the Form 10-K referred to above.

New Accounting Pronouncements
In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2020-04, Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting ("ASU 2020-04"). ASU 2020-04 provides optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for (or recognizing the effects of) reference rate reform on contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. ASU 2020-04 is effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. In January 2021, the FASB amended ASU 2020-04 by issuing Accounting Standards Update No. 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform Scope ("ASU 2021-01"). ASU 2021-01 clarifies the scope of optional expedients and exceptions to derivatives that are affected by the discounting transition. We are in the process of evaluating the effect these standards will have on the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.