Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Total revenues	$ 356,575	$ 1,487,583	$ 1,463,707
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	389,726	607,791	574,724
Selling, general and administrative expenses (including stock-based compensation of $19,530 and $13,274 in 2020 and 2019, respectively, and a net reversal of stock-based compensation of $46,684 in 2018, and excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	147,295	199,194	132,168
Costs of products sold	34,119	130,304	121,803
Other net periodic pension benefit	(5,190)	(4,186)	(5,169)
Depreciation	119,159	115,825	113,246
Amortization	1,014	2,405	2,447
Loss on disposal of assets	7,689	2,162	1,879
Interest expense	155,411	114,703	108,034
Interest income	(688)	(1,401)	(791)
Loss on debt extinguishment	6,106	6,484	0
Other expense, net	24,993	2,542	3,508
(Loss) income before income taxes	(523,059)	311,760	411,858
Income tax (benefit) expense	(140,967)	91,942	95,855
Net (loss) income	(382,092)	219,818	316,003
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(41,288)	(40,753)	(40,007)
Net (loss) income attributable to Six Flags Entertainment Corporation	$ (423,380)	$ 179,065	$ 275,996
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding-basic (in shares)	84,800	84,348	84,100
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	84,800	84,968	85,445
Net (loss) earnings per average common share outstanding:
Net (loss) earnings per average common share outstanding - basic (in dollars per share)	$ (4.99)	$ 2.12	$ 3.28
Net (loss) earnings per average common share outstanding - diluted (in dollars per share)	(4.99)	2.11	3.23
Cash dividends declared per common share	$ 0.25	$ 3.29	$ 3.16
Park admissions
Total revenues	$ 202,646	$ 815,782	$ 810,064
Park food, merchandise and other
Total revenues	126,306	574,440	553,527
Sponsorship international agreements and accommodations
Total revenues	$ 27,623	$ 97,361	$ 100,116