Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Total revenues	$ 1,487,583	$ 1,463,707	$ 1,359,074
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	607,791	574,724	511,873
Selling, general and administrative expenses (including stock-based compensation of $13,274 in 2019 and a net reversal of stock-based compensation of $46,684 and $22,697 in 2018 and 2017, respectively, and excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	199,194	132,168	159,070
Costs of products sold	130,304	121,803	110,374
Other net periodic pension benefit	(4,186)	(5,169)	(3,322)
Depreciation	115,825	113,246	109,206
Amortization	2,405	2,447	2,465
Loss on disposal of assets	2,162	1,879	3,959
Interest expense	114,703	108,034	99,766
Interest income	(1,401)	(791)	(756)
Loss on debt extinguishment	6,484	0	37,116
Other expense, net	2,542	3,508	271
Income before income taxes	311,760	411,858	329,052
Income tax expense	91,942	95,855	16,026
Net income	219,818	316,003	313,026
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(40,753)	(40,007)	(39,210)
Net income attributable to Six Flags Entertainment Corporation	$ 179,065	$ 275,996	$ 273,816
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding-basic (in shares)	84,348	84,100	86,802
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	84,968	85,445	88,494
Net income per average common share outstanding:
Net income per average common share outstanding - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.12	$ 3.28	$ 3.15
Net income per average common share outstanding - diluted (in dollars per share)	2.11	3.23	3.09
Cash dividends declared per common share	$ 3.29	$ 3.16	$ 2.62
Park admissions
Total revenues	$ 815,782	$ 810,064	$ 741,275
Park food, merchandise and other
Total revenues	574,440	553,527	524,582
Sponsorship international agreements and accommodations
Total revenues	$ 97,361	$ 100,116	$ 93,217