Earnings Per Common Unit - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Aug. 01, 2013	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Weighted-average common units outstanding, diluted (in shares)		301,558,908	72,086,875	299,143,320	67,440,601
Incremental net loss from assumed exchange of Carlyle Holdings partnership units		$ 250,900,000		$ 67,800,000
Weighted-average vested Carlyle Holdings Partnership units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities (in shares)		3,501,505		4,625,233
Weighted-average common units outstanding, diluted (in shares)		216,864,271		216,956,438
Unvested Carlyle Holdings Partnership units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Weighted-average common units outstanding, diluted (in shares)		5,845,305		9,373,990
Carlyle Holdings partnership units deemed antidilutive (in shares)			228,449,290		229,987,569
AlpInvest
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Additional ownership percentage acquired	40.00%
Common units issued to AlpInvest employees that are subject to vesting conditions (in shares)	914,087
AlpInvest | Unvested Carlyle Holdings Partnership units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Weighted-average common units outstanding, diluted (in shares)				766,991