Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 04, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Total revenues	$ 82,024	$ 102,503
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	92,643	105,864
Selling, general and administrative expenses (including stock-based compensation of $6,637 and $4,280 in 2021 and 2020, respectively, and excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	36,126	36,190
Costs of products sold	7,215	7,760
Other net periodic pension benefit	(1,643)	(996)
Depreciation	28,827	30,063
Amortization	6	601
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets	520	(120)
Interest expense	38,460	27,486
Interest income	(40)	(329)
Loss on debt extinguishment		1,019
Other expense, net	7,619	1,560
Loss before income taxes	(127,709)	(106,595)
Income tax benefit	(31,870)	(22,049)
Net loss	(95,839)	(84,546)
Net (loss) income attributable to Six Flags Entertainment Corporation	$ (95,839)	$ (84,546)
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic and diluted (in shares)	85,209	84,656
Net loss per average common share outstanding - basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (1.12)	$ (1.00)
Cash dividends declared per common share		$ 0.25
Park admissions
Total revenues	$ 44,334	$ 59,806
Park food, merchandise and other
Total revenues	31,224	29,806
Sponsorship international agreements and accommodations
Total revenues	$ 6,466	$ 12,891