Compensatory Unit Awards and Option Plans (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended											1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 1997 Independent Director of General Partner [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Repurchased Holding Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Repurchased Holding Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Repurchased Holding Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Repurchased Holding Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Options [Member]	Jan. 30, 2009 Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 1997 Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 1997 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] Independent Directors [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] Eligible Directors [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] Eligible Directors [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] Eligible Directors [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] CEO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] CEO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] CEO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] CEO [Member]	Dec. 31, 1997 Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member] CEO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Long Term Incentive Plan 2010 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Long Term Incentive Plan 2010 [Member] Newly-Issued Holding Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Long Term Incentive Plan 2010 [Member] Restricted Holding Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan 1997 [Member]	Dec. 31, 1997 Long Term Incentive Plan 1997 [Member]	Dec. 31, 1997 Long Term Incentive Plan 1997 [Member] Options [Member] Independent Directors [Member]	Dec. 31, 1993 Unit Option Plan [Member]	Jan. 29, 2012 Incentive Compensation Program [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Incentive Compensation Program [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Incentive Compensation Program [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 1997 Incentive Compensation Program [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Century Club Plan [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Century Club Plan [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Century Club Plan [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Century Club Plan [Member] Restricted Holding Units Awards (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, expiration date																											June 30, 2020				July 26, 2010		2003
Number of units issued, net of forfeitures, under the 2010 Plan (in units)																											13,200,000
Number of newly-issued Holding Units with respect to which awards may be granted (in shares)																												30,000,000	30,000,000
Newly issued Holding Units available for grants (in shares)																												27,000,000	19,800,000
Terms established at the time of grant (in years)																														10			10
Share-based payment award granted and exercisable at rate of Holding units (in hundredths)																															20.00%	33.30%	20.00%
Description of equity-based compensation award				on each of the first three anniversary dates of the date of grant										On each of the first five anniversary dates of the date of grant					vest on the third anniversary of grant date	vest on the third anniversary of grant date	vest on the third anniversary of grant date												On each of the first five anniversary dates of the date of grant
Share-based payment award, award vesting period	4																	third anniversary of the grant date
Share-based payment award, award vesting rights																										Vest 20 percent on each of the first five anniversary dates of the grant date.											Vest 25 percent on December 1st of the subsequent four years
Award of options granted to buy holding units to selected senior officers (in shares)										6,534,182
Number of Selected senior officers										67
Exercise and closing price of Holding units on grant date (in dollars per share)	$ 13.08									$ 17.05
Fair value of Holding Units (in dollars per share)										$ 3.51
Number of options granted (including grants to independent directors) (in shares)	70,238	387,661	6,565,302								70,238
Weighted average fair value of options to buy Holding Units granted (in dollars per share)	$ 5.98	$ 6.18	$ 3.52
Options to Buy Holding Units [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning balance (in shares)											10,217,871
Granted (in shares)	70,238	387,661	6,565,302								70,238
Exercised (in shares)											(86,543)
Forfeited (in shares)											(778,557)
Expired (in shares)											(428,780)
Outstanding, Ending balance (in shares)									8,994,229		8,994,229	10,217,871
Exercisable, Ending balance (in shares)									3,316,961		3,316,961
Vested or expected to vest (in shares)									8,994,229		8,994,229
Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Outstanding, beginning balance (in dollars per share)											$ 41.24
Granted ( in dollars per share)									$ 21.75		$ 21.75
Exercised (in dollars per share)									$ 17.05		$ 17.05
Forfeited (in dollars per share)									$ 55.66		$ 55.66
Expired (in dollars per share)									$ 50.59		$ 50.59
Outstanding, Ending Balance (in dollars per share)									$ 39.63		$ 39.63	$ 41.24
Exercisable (in dollars per share)									$ 36.65		$ 36.65
Vested or expected to vest (in dollars per share)									$ 39.63		$ 39.63
Options outstanding weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)									6.4		6.4	6.9
Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years)											5.6
Vested and expected to vest, outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)											6.4
Options outstanding aggregate intrinsic value									$ 0		$ 0
Exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value									0		0
Vested or expected to vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value									0		0
Total intrinsic value of options exercised											400,000	5,600,000	0
Compensation expense						32,900,000	23,200,000	8,100,000			36,400,000	9,100,000	11,900,000		400,000	200,000	100,000						10,500,000	10,500,000	10,500,000														3,000,000	1,200,000	2,100,000
Compensation cost related to unvested restricted Holding Unit awards granted and not yet recognized									900,000		900,000				60,900,000
Cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period (in years)											1.3				2.7
One-time, non-cash deferred compensation charge					15,800,000				35,200,000																													2,200,000
Grant date fair values per restricted Holding units, minimum (in dollars per share)	$ 16.29	$ 23.72	$ 16.79																$ 21.75	$ 28.46	$ 18.27	$ 19.20													$ 23.72	$ 26.73			$ 13.38	$ 23.72	$ 12.17
Grant date fair values of these awards, maximum (in dollars per share)	$ 22.71	$ 28.37	$ 28.38																																$ 32.06					$ 27.45
Restricted Holding Units granted (in shares)	1,649,973	1,369,751	1,443,227												1,741,930				19,313	5,275	8,210	2,722,052												0	11,594,207	8,345,805			57,828	95,531	46,163
Vesting schedules of restricted Holding units, minimum (in years)	2
Vesting schedules of restricted Holding units, maximum (in years)	5
Holding Units [Roll forward]
Unvested, beginning balance (in shares)															21,326,859
Granted (in shares)	1,649,973	1,369,751	1,443,227												1,741,930				19,313	5,275	8,210	2,722,052												0	11,594,207	8,345,805			57,828	95,531	46,163
Vested (in shares)															(5,732,057)
Forfeited (in shares)															(1,762,541)
Unvested, Ending balance (in shares)															15,574,191	21,326,859
Equity Instruments Other than Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Unvested, beginning balance (in dollars per share)															$ 24.37
Granted (in dollars per share)															$ 20.52
Vested (in dollars per share)															$ 24.45
Forfeited (in dollars per share)															$ 24.68
Unvested, Ending balance (in dollars per share)															$ 23.88	$ 24.37
Total grant date fair value															$ 140,200,000	$ 73,400,000	$ 14,700,000
Fair value assumptions and methodology [Abstract]
Fair Value Assumptions, Method Used	Black-Scholes option valuation model	Black-Scholes option valuation model	Black-Scholes option valuation model
Risk Free Interest Rate (in hundredths)	1.90%
Risk-free interest rate, minimum (in hundredths)		2.20%	1.60%
Risk-free interest rate, maximum (in hundredths)		2.30%	2.10%
Expected cash distribution yield (in hundredths)	5.40%
Expected cash distribution yield, minimum (in hundredths)		7.20%	5.20%
Expected cash distribution yield, maximum (in hundredths)		8.20%	6.10%
Expected Volatility Rate (in hundredths)	47.30%
Historical volatility factor, lower range (in hundredths)		46.20%	40.00%
Historical volatility factor, upper range (in hundredths)		46.60%	44.60%
Expected term (in years)	6.0	6.0
Expected term, minimum (in years)			6.0
Expected term, maximum (in years)			6.5