Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantors and Issuers Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2014	Sep. 29, 2013	Sep. 28, 2014	Sep. 29, 2013	Sep. 28, 2014	Sep. 29, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 595,318	$ 592,076	$ 998,798	$ 995,495	$ 1,137,875	$ 1,124,700
Costs and expenses:
Cost of food, merchandise, and games revenues	46,812	45,843	82,887	81,933	92,726	93,055
Operating expenses	178,649	170,394	406,191	388,335	490,200	458,906
Selling, general and administrative	57,205	58,727	125,226	125,533	152,105	148,356
Depreciation and amortization	58,244	57,495	109,525	108,313	123,699	122,408
Gain on sale of other assets	0	(8,743)	(921)	(8,743)	(921)	(15,368)
Loss on impairment / retirement of fixed assets, net	1,475	1,637	2,687	2,266	2,960	8,372
Total costs and expenses	342,385	325,353	725,595	697,637	860,769	815,729
Operating income	252,933	266,723	273,203	297,858	277,106	308,971
Interest expense (income), net	21,446	25,512	74,006	77,027	99,896	103,707
Net effect of swaps	(1,087)	1,377	(1,031)	8,315	(2,463)	8,141
Loss on early debt extinguishment	(246)	0	29,027	34,573	29,027	34,573
Unrealized / realized foreign currency gain	21,515	(8,615)	22,597	15,229	36,309	20,157
Other (income) expense	0	0	0	0	0	0
(Income) loss from investment in affiliates	0	0	0	0	0	0
Income before taxes	211,305	248,449	148,604	162,714	114,337	142,393
Provision for taxes	49,403	58,025	26,340	34,026	12,557	24,030
Net income	161,902	190,424	122,264	128,688	101,780	118,363
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	2,975	(699)	2,279	1,194	3,841	2,814
Unrealized income (loss) on cash flow hedging derivatives	2,726	(2,761)	(165)	7,803	2,768	9,740
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax)	5,701	(3,460)	2,114	8,997	6,609	12,554
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	167,603	186,964	124,378	137,685	108,389	130,917
Cedar Fair L.P. (Parent) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	85,161	83,285	133,000	131,528	153,941	152,379
Costs and expenses:
Cost of food, merchandise, and games revenues	0	0	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	1,248	1,669	3,908	4,500	5,411	5,739
Selling, general and administrative	1,307	1,796	4,170	4,310	5,577	5,964
Depreciation and amortization	19,709	18,306	34,194	31,672	39,329	35,896
Gain on sale of other assets	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on impairment / retirement of fixed assets, net	532	368	781	404	801	1,318
Total costs and expenses	22,796	22,139	43,053	40,886	51,118	48,917
Operating income	62,365	61,146	89,947	90,642	102,823	103,462
Interest expense (income), net	10,622	10,858	31,354	31,580	42,404	43,667
Net effect of swaps	(666)	810	(650)	5,067	(1,527)	4,964
Loss on early debt extinguishment	0		0	21,175	0	21,175
Unrealized / realized foreign currency gain	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	187	188	562	563	749	751
(Income) loss from investment in affiliates	(114,725)	(146,054)	(72,051)	(104,833)	(50,775)	(95,234)
Income before taxes	166,947	195,344	130,732	137,090	111,972	128,139
Provision for taxes	5,045	4,920	8,468	8,402	10,192	9,776
Net income	161,902	190,424	122,264	128,688	101,780	118,363
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	2,975	(699)	2,279	1,194	3,841	2,814
Unrealized income (loss) on cash flow hedging derivatives	2,726	(2,761)	(165)	7,803	2,768	9,740
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax)	5,701	(3,460)	2,114	8,997	6,609	12,554
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	167,603	186,964	124,378	137,685	108,389	130,917
Guarantor Subsidiaries Co Issuer Subsidiary Magnum [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	158,384	161,866	246,800	255,595	287,282	292,510
Costs and expenses:
Cost of food, merchandise, and games revenues	2,622	0	2,701	0	2,701	0
Operating expenses	77,814	76,468	155,169	150,320	188,453	179,465
Selling, general and administrative	35,241	38,083	79,408	81,584	98,649	97,351
Depreciation and amortization	166	10	269	28	278	40
Gain on sale of other assets	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on impairment / retirement of fixed assets, net	1	0	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	115,844	114,561	237,547	231,932	290,081	276,856
Operating income	42,540	47,305	9,253	23,663	(2,799)	15,654
Interest expense (income), net	7,073	6,901	21,438	21,824	28,489	29,195
Net effect of swaps	(421)	567	(381)	3,248	(936)	3,177
Loss on early debt extinguishment	0		0	12,781	0	12,781
Unrealized / realized foreign currency gain	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	(2,415)	(2,129)	(8,104)	(6,645)	(12,716)	(9,033)
(Income) loss from investment in affiliates	(58,671)	(78,714)	(33,249)	(58,614)	(12,155)	(51,316)
Income before taxes	96,974	120,680	29,549	51,069	(5,481)	30,850
Provision for taxes	12,717	14,537	(1,186)	(2,444)	(10,875)	(8,530)
Net income	84,257	106,143	30,735	53,513	5,394	39,380
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0	0	0
Unrealized income (loss) on cash flow hedging derivatives	807	(1,202)	(10)	1,836	1,002	2,385
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax)	807	(1,202)	(10)	1,836	1,002	2,385
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	85,064	104,941	30,725	55,349	6,396	41,765
Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Cedar Canada) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	76,325	82,265	110,354	117,508	120,538	127,485
Costs and expenses:
Cost of food, merchandise, and games revenues	5,743	6,082	8,625	9,076	8,871	9,404
Operating expenses	17,561	19,042	39,622	40,569	46,823	48,104
Selling, general and administrative	5,082	4,781	9,841	9,360	11,465	10,618
Depreciation and amortization	8,685	8,979	15,187	15,797	16,723	17,581
Gain on sale of other assets	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on impairment / retirement of fixed assets, net	229	1	229	479	229	476
Total costs and expenses	37,300	38,885	73,504	75,281	84,111	86,183
Operating income	39,025	43,380	36,850	42,227	36,427	41,302
Interest expense (income), net	6,243	9,731	27,644	29,338	37,682	39,310
Net effect of swaps	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on early debt extinguishment	(246)		29,027	617	29,027	617
Unrealized / realized foreign currency gain	21,515	(8,615)	22,597	15,229	36,309	20,157
Other (income) expense	531	584	1,436	1,967	3,148	2,766
(Income) loss from investment in affiliates	(14,629)	(13,606)	(21,141)	(18,318)	(20,261)	(18,019)
Income before taxes	25,611	55,286	(22,713)	13,394	(49,478)	(3,529)
Provision for taxes	1,836	14,390	(16,315)	(1,596)	(25,575)	(11,708)
Net income	23,775	40,896	(6,398)	14,990	(23,903)	8,179
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	2,975	(699)	2,279	1,194	3,841	2,814
Unrealized income (loss) on cash flow hedging derivatives	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax)	2,975	(699)	2,279	1,194	3,841	2,814
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	26,750	40,197	(4,119)	16,184	(20,062)	10,993
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	516,002	509,467	884,327	877,450	1,013,346	996,647
Costs and expenses:
Cost of food, merchandise, and games revenues	38,447	39,761	71,561	72,857	81,154	83,651
Operating expenses	322,580	318,022	583,175	579,532	686,745	669,919
Selling, general and administrative	15,575	14,067	31,807	30,279	36,414	34,423
Depreciation and amortization	29,684	30,200	59,875	60,816	67,369	68,891
Gain on sale of other assets	0	(8,743)	(921)	(8,743)	(921)	(15,368)
Loss on impairment / retirement of fixed assets, net	713	1,268	1,677	1,383	1,930	6,578
Total costs and expenses	406,999	394,575	747,174	736,124	872,691	848,094
Operating income	109,003	114,892	137,153	141,326	140,655	148,553
Interest expense (income), net	(2,492)	(1,978)	(6,430)	(5,715)	(8,679)	(8,465)
Net effect of swaps	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on early debt extinguishment	0		0	0	0	0
Unrealized / realized foreign currency gain	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	1,697	1,357	6,106	4,115	8,819	5,516
(Income) loss from investment in affiliates	(23,774)	(40,904)	6,399	(15,029)	23,905	(8,239)
Income before taxes	133,572	156,417	131,078	157,955	116,610	159,741
Provision for taxes	29,805	24,178	35,373	29,664	38,815	34,492
Net income	103,767	132,239	95,705	128,291	77,795	125,249
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0	0	0
Unrealized income (loss) on cash flow hedging derivatives	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	103,767	132,239	95,705	128,291	77,795	125,249
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	(240,554)	(244,807)	(375,683)	(386,586)	(437,232)	(444,321)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of food, merchandise, and games revenues	0	0	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	(240,554)	(244,807)	(375,683)	(386,586)	(437,232)	(444,321)
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of other assets	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on impairment / retirement of fixed assets, net	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	(240,554)	(244,807)	(375,683)	(386,586)	(437,232)	(444,321)
Operating income	0	0	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income), net	0	0	0	0	0	0
Net effect of swaps	0	0	0	0	0	0
Loss on early debt extinguishment	0		0	0	0	0
Unrealized / realized foreign currency gain	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	0	0	0	0	0	0
(Income) loss from investment in affiliates	211,799	279,278	120,042	196,794	59,286	172,808
Income before taxes	(211,799)	(279,278)	(120,042)	(196,794)	(59,286)	(172,808)
Provision for taxes	0	0	0	0	0	0
Net income	(211,799)	(279,278)	(120,042)	(196,794)	(59,286)	(172,808)
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(2,975)	699	(2,279)	(1,194)	(3,841)	(2,814)
Unrealized income (loss) on cash flow hedging derivatives	(807)	1,202	10	(1,836)	(1,002)	(2,385)
Other comprehensive income (loss), (net of tax)	(3,782)	1,901	(2,269)	(3,030)	(4,843)	(5,199)
Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)	$ (215,581)	$ (277,377)	$ (122,311)	$ (199,824)	$ (64,129)	$ (178,007)