Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income	$ 156,873	$ 403,039	$ 13,145
Depreciation and amortization	128,075	148,045	168,999
Reorganization items, net	(180)	2,168	2,455
Stock-based compensation	27,034	62,875	54,261
Interest accretion on notes payable	1,252	1,201	1,870
Loss on debt extinguishment	789	587	46,520
Amortization of debt issuance costs	4,285	2,411	7,751
Other, including loss on disposal of assets	(10,320)	(8,247)	(7,168)
Gain on sale of investee	0	(67,319)	0
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(22,146)	(10,497)	844
Increase in inventories, prepaid expenses and other current assets	(2,062)	(2,352)	(549)
Decrease in deposits and other assets	473	5,439	6,151
Increase in accounts payable, deferred income, accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities	12,147	12,455	817
Increase (decrease) in accrued interest payable	17,239	1,288	(2,342)
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	34,915	(194,167)	(14,701)
Net cash provided by operating activities before reorganization activities	369,014	373,420	292,389
Net cash used in reorganization activities	(332)	(1,788)	(17,452)
Total net cash provided by operating activities	368,682	371,632	274,937
Cash flow from investing activities:
Additions to property and equipment	(101,853)	(99,989)	(91,680)
Property insurance recovery	0	1,494	536
Purchase of identifiable intangible assets	(75)	0	0
Acquisition of theme park assets	0	0	(25)
Purchase of restricted-use investments	(621)	(706)	0
Maturities of restricted-use investments	16	0	2,425
Proceeds from sale of DCP	0	69,987	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	230	1,557	216
Net cash used in investing activities	(102,303)	(27,657)	(88,528)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(6,276)	(353,230)	(959,412)
Proceeds from borrowings	0	800,000	934,400
Payment of debt issuance costs	(2,660)	(16,878)	(16,584)
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	30,860	40,929	9,700
Stock repurchases	(523,589)	(231,984)	(59,998)
Payment of cash dividends	(176,171)	(148,286)	(9,791)
Purchase of HWP ownership interests	(9,554)	0	(984)
Purchase of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(288)	(2,033)	(948)
Noncontrolling interest distributions	(37,452)	(36,840)	(35,988)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(725,130)	51,678	(139,605)
Effect of exchange rate on cash	(1,147)	2,128	(2,438)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(459,898)	397,781	44,366
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	629,208	231,427	187,061
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	169,310	629,208	231,427
Supplemental cash flow information
Cash paid for interest	52,268	42,545	58,935
Cash paid for income taxes	$ 13,768	$ 9,435	$ 7,945