Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantors and Issuers Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2014	Sep. 29, 2013	Sep. 28, 2014	Sep. 29, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET CASH (FOR) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 311,719	$ 316,955	$ 317,997	$ 324,848
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sales of Assets, Investing Activities	(1,377)	(15,297)	(1,377)	(30,182)
Capital expenditures	(137,013)	(97,534)	(160,072)	(116,761)
Net cash for investing activities	(135,636)	(82,237)	(158,695)	(86,579)
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Term debt borrowings	0	630,000	0	630,000
Note borrowings	450,000	500,000	450,000	500,000
Note payments, including amounts paid for early termination	(426,148)	0	(426,148)	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0	(1,132,675)	(9,575)	(1,132,675)
Distributions paid to partners	(117,468)	(104,458)	(156,467)	(126,706)
Intercompany payable	0	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation expense	(785)	(148)	218	1,515
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	(9,795)	(22,812)	(10,232)	(22,812)
Exercise of limited partnership unit options	0	43	10	43
Net cash for financing activities	(104,196)	(130,050)	(152,194)	(150,635)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(569)	(16)	(1,216)	(254)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Net increase (decrease) for the period	71,318	104,652	5,892	87,380
Balance, beginning of period	118,056	78,830	183,482	96,102
Balance, end of period	189,374	183,482	189,374	183,482
Cedar Fair L.P. (Parent) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET CASH (FOR) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	122,796	140,022	145,424	212,330
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sales of Assets, Investing Activities	0	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(55,105)	(43,568)	(67,790)	(47,938)
Net cash for investing activities	(55,105)	(43,568)	(67,790)	(47,938)
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Term debt borrowings		359,022		359,022
Note borrowings	0	294,897	0	294,897
Note payments, including amounts paid for early termination	0		0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		(655,723)	(5,457)	(655,723)
Distributions paid to partners	(119,292)	(107,013)	(159,433)	(129,277)
Intercompany payable	100,601	134,695	78,459	71,020
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation expense	0	0	0	0
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	0	(14,332)	(203)	(14,331)
Exercise of limited partnership unit options		0	0	0
Net cash for financing activities	(18,691)	11,546	(86,634)	(74,392)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	0	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Net increase (decrease) for the period	49,000	108,000	(9,000)	90,000
Balance, beginning of period	75,000	25,000	133,000	43,000
Balance, end of period	124,000	133,000	124,000	133,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries Co Issuer Subsidiary Magnum [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET CASH (FOR) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	11,832	40,030	(4,845)	(34,618)
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Intercompany Receivable	13,794	41,768	16,049	46,143
Proceeds from Sales of Assets, Investing Activities	0	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(257)	0	(257)	(1)
Net cash for investing activities	13,537	41,768	15,792	46,142
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Term debt borrowings		256,500		256,500
Note borrowings	0	205,103	0	205,103
Note payments, including amounts paid for early termination	0		0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		(462,438)	(3,898)	(462,438)
Distributions paid to partners	0	2,555	0	2,571
Intercompany payable	(26,534)	(73,536)	(7,234)	(6,760)
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation expense	(785)	(148)	218	1,515
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	0	(8,028)	(142)	(8,028)
Exercise of limited partnership unit options		43	10	43
Net cash for financing activities	(27,319)	(79,949)	(11,046)	(11,494)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	0	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Net increase (decrease) for the period	(1,950)	1,849	(99)	30
Balance, beginning of period	4,144	444	2,293	2,263
Balance, end of period	2,194	2,293	2,194	2,293
Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Cedar Canada) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET CASH (FOR) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	14,637	10,864	16,902	19,455
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sales of Assets, Investing Activities	0	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(14,394)	(5,517)	(18,851)	(5,532)
Net cash for investing activities	(14,394)	(5,517)	(18,851)	(5,532)
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Term debt borrowings		14,478		14,478
Note borrowings	450,000	0	450,000	0
Note payments, including amounts paid for early termination	(426,148)		(426,148)
Repayments of Long-term Debt		(14,514)	(220)	(14,514)
Distributions paid to partners	0	(13,173)	0	(13,173)
Intercompany payable	3,486	(5,656)	6,025	(4,098)
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation expense	0	0	0	0
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	(9,795)	(452)	(9,887)	(453)
Exercise of limited partnership unit options		0	0	0
Net cash for financing activities	17,543	(19,317)	19,770	(17,760)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(569)	(16)	(1,216)	(254)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Net increase (decrease) for the period	17,217	(13,986)	16,605	(4,091)
Balance, beginning of period	35,575	50,173	36,187	40,278
Balance, end of period	52,792	36,187	52,792	36,187
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET CASH (FOR) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	164,278	139,212	163,482	140,854
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Intercompany Receivable	(77,332)	(55,439)	(77,029)	(60,099)
Proceeds from Sales of Assets, Investing Activities	(1,377)	(15,297)	(1,377)	(30,182)
Capital expenditures	(67,257)	(48,449)	(73,174)	(63,290)
Net cash for investing activities	(143,212)	(88,591)	(148,826)	(93,207)
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Term debt borrowings		0		0
Note borrowings	0	0	0	0
Note payments, including amounts paid for early termination	0		0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0	0	0
Distributions paid to partners	0	0	0	0
Intercompany payable	(14,015)	(41,832)	(16,270)	(46,206)
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation expense	0	0	0	0
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	0	0	0	0
Exercise of limited partnership unit options		0	0	0
Net cash for financing activities	(14,015)	(41,832)	(16,270)	(46,206)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	0	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Net increase (decrease) for the period	7,051	8,789	(1,614)	1,441
Balance, beginning of period	3,337	3,213	12,002	10,561
Balance, end of period	10,388	12,002	10,388	12,002
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET CASH (FOR) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(1,824)	(13,173)	(2,966)	(13,173)
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Intercompany Receivable	63,538	13,671	60,980	13,956
Proceeds from Sales of Assets, Investing Activities	0	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
Net cash for investing activities	63,538	13,671	60,980	13,956
CASH FLOWS FROM (FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Term debt borrowings		0		0
Note borrowings	0	0	0	0
Note payments, including amounts paid for early termination	0		0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0	0	0
Distributions paid to partners	1,824	13,173	2,966	13,173
Intercompany payable	(63,538)	(13,671)	(60,980)	(13,956)
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation expense	0	0	0	0
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	0	0	0	0
Exercise of limited partnership unit options		0	0	0
Net cash for financing activities	(61,714)	(498)	(58,014)	(783)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	0	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Net increase (decrease) for the period	0	0	0	0
Balance, beginning of period	0	0	0	0
Balance, end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0