Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantors and Issuers (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Jan. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 23, 2018	Jun. 24, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 258,116			$ 105,349	$ 190,756
Receivables	68,754			51,518	58,398
Inventories	37,734			30,753	36,549
Other current assets	20,196			12,589	21,875
Total current assets	384,800			200,209	307,578
Property and equipment (net)	1,832,331			1,599,438	1,588,699
Investment in Park	0			0	0
Goodwill	358,451			178,719	182,004		$ 183,830
Other Intangibles, net	59,693			36,376	37,131
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	11,067			0	0
Other Assets	11,669			9,441	13,536
Total Assets	2,658,011			2,024,183	2,128,948
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	7,500			5,625	3,750
Accounts payable	32,928			23,314	32,989
Deferred revenue	130,265		$ 107,100	107,074	102,326
Accrued interest	30,181			7,927	21,893
Accrued taxes	48,265			29,591	48,372
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	39,206			18,786	30,578
Self-insurance reserves	23,837			24,021	25,923
Other accrued liabilities	17,297			18,381	22,232
Total current liabilities	329,479			234,719	288,063
Deferred Tax Liability	82,658			81,717	74,637
Derivative Liability	27,773			6,705	0
Lease Liability	7,440			0	0
Other Liabilities	18,966			11,058	16,292
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	717,364			719,507	720,846
Notes	1,431,612			938,061	937,440
Total long-term debt	2,148,976			1,657,568	1,658,286
Equity	42,719	$ (100,200)		32,416	91,670	$ (70,071)	$ 82,946
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	2,658,011			2,024,183	2,128,948
2024 U.S. fixed rate notes at 5.375%[Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0	0
Receivables	0			0	0
Inventories	0			0	0
Other current assets	290			179	293
Total current assets	290			179	293
Property and equipment (net)	0			0	0
Investment in Park	681,560			601,706	648,414
Goodwill	674			674	674
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	0
Other Assets	0			0	1,197
Total Assets	682,524			602,559	650,578
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	630,144			565,472	553,952
Deferred revenue	0			0	0
Accrued interest	136			1	113
Accrued taxes	1,955			443	1,551
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	0			0	0
Other accrued liabilities	3,524			3,318	3,292
Total current liabilities	635,759			569,234	558,908
Deferred Tax Liability	0			0	0
Derivative Liability	4,046			909
Lease Liability	0
Other Liabilities	0			0	0
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	0			0	0
Equity	42,719			32,416	91,670
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	682,524			602,559	650,578
2024 U.S. fixed rate notes at 5.375%[Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	186,076			32,715	116,511
Receivables	1,065,774			938,397	895,263
Inventories	35,118			28,618	34,289
Other current assets	18,067			10,544	19,546
Total current assets	1,305,035			1,010,274	1,065,609
Property and equipment (net)	1,651,137			1,426,292	1,409,366
Investment in Park	264,426			218,575	246,968
Goodwill	297,599			119,605	119,605
Other Intangibles, net	46,278			23,346	23,368
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	10,984
Other Assets	11,631			9,405	9,374
Total Assets	3,587,090			2,807,497	2,874,290
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	6,187			4,641	3,094
Accounts payable	26,361			18,620	30,155
Deferred revenue	117,921			98,614	92,929
Accrued interest	21,955			5,871	14,104
Accrued taxes	48,449			27,487	11,011
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	12,440			12,374	13,829
Other accrued liabilities	8,999			10,024	11,559
Total current liabilities	242,312			177,631	176,681
Deferred Tax Liability	87,516			87,516	81,945
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	7,372
Other Liabilities	17,728			9,889	14,934
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	591,336			592,982	594,046
Notes	984,947			491,820	491,594
Total long-term debt	1,576,283			1,084,802	1,085,640
Equity	1,655,879			1,447,659	1,515,090
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	3,587,090			2,807,497	2,874,290
2024 U.S. fixed rate notes at 5.375%[Member] | Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	(586)			(692)	(3,633)
Receivables	(1,032,810)			(922,469)	(885,049)
Inventories	0			0	0
Other current assets	(2,356)			(5,007)	(2,728)
Total current assets	(1,035,752)			(928,168)	(891,410)
Property and equipment (net)	0			0	0
Investment in Park	(2,610,843)			(2,265,088)	(2,360,178)
Goodwill	0			0	0
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	(18,224)			(18,224)	(19,870)
Right-of-Use Asset	0
Other Assets	0			0	0
Total Assets	(3,664,819)			(3,211,480)	(3,271,458)
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	(1,033,396)			(923,161)	(888,682)
Deferred revenue	0			0	0
Accrued interest	0			0	0
Accrued taxes	(2,356)			(5,007)	(2,728)
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	0			0	0
Other accrued liabilities	0			0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,035,752)			(928,168)	(891,410)
Deferred Tax Liability	(18,224)			(18,224)	(19,870)
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	0
Other Liabilities	0			0	0
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	0			0	0
Equity	(2,610,843)			(2,265,088)	(2,360,178)
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	(3,664,819)			(3,211,480)	(3,271,458)
2024 U.S. fixed rate notes at 5.375%[Member] | Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Magnum) [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0	0
Receivables	1,013			1,093	991
Inventories	0			0	0
Other current assets	585			1,411	1,170
Total current assets	1,598			2,504	2,161
Property and equipment (net)	777			802	811
Investment in Park	1,373,024			1,182,345	1,205,086
Goodwill	0			0	0
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	18,224			18,224	19,870
Right-of-Use Asset	0
Other Assets	0			0	2,926
Total Assets	1,393,623			1,203,875	1,230,854
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,313			984	656
Accounts payable	406,621			359,953	334,696
Deferred revenue	0			0	0
Accrued interest	91			1	75
Accrued taxes	217			6,668	38,538
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	35,923			17,552	28,162
Self-insurance reserves	9,837			10,214	10,459
Other accrued liabilities	4,276			4,903	6,796
Total current liabilities	458,278			400,275	419,382
Deferred Tax Liability	0			0	0
Derivative Liability	23,727			5,796
Lease Liability	0
Other Liabilities	761			1,169	968
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	126,028			126,525	126,800
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	126,028			126,525	126,800
Equity	784,829			670,110	683,704
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	1,393,623			1,203,875	1,230,854
2024 U.S. fixed rate notes at 5.375%[Member] | Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Cedar Canada) [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	72,626			73,326	77,878
Receivables	34,777			34,497	47,193
Inventories	2,616			2,135	2,260
Other current assets	3,610			5,462	3,594
Total current assets	113,629			115,420	130,925
Property and equipment (net)	180,417			172,344	178,522
Investment in Park	291,833			262,462	259,710
Goodwill	60,178			58,440	61,725
Other Intangibles, net	13,415			13,030	13,763
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	83
Other Assets	38			36	39
Total Assets	659,593			621,732	644,684
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	3,198			2,430	2,868
Deferred revenue	12,344			8,460	9,397
Accrued interest	7,999			2,054	7,601
Accrued taxes	0			0	0
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	3,283			1,234	2,416
Self-insurance reserves	1,560			1,433	1,635
Other accrued liabilities	498			136	585
Total current liabilities	28,882			15,747	24,502
Deferred Tax Liability	13,366			12,425	12,562
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	68
Other Liabilities	477			0	390
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	446,665			446,241	445,846
Total long-term debt	446,665			446,241	445,846
Equity	170,135			147,319	161,384
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	659,593			621,732	644,684
2027 and 2029 Senior Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0	0
Receivables	0			0	0
Inventories	0			0	0
Other current assets	290			179	293
Total current assets	290			179	293
Property and equipment (net)	0			0	0
Investment in Park	681,560			601,706	648,414
Goodwill	674			674	674
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	0
Other Assets	0			0	1,197
Total Assets	682,524			602,559	650,578
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	630,144			565,472	553,952
Deferred revenue	0			0	0
Accrued interest	136			1	113
Accrued taxes	1,955			443	1,551
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	0			0	0
Other accrued liabilities	3,524			3,318	3,292
Total current liabilities	635,759			569,234	558,908
Deferred Tax Liability	0			0	0
Derivative Liability	4,046			909
Lease Liability	0
Other Liabilities	0			0	0
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	0			0	0
Equity	42,719			32,416	91,670
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	682,524			602,559	650,578
2027 and 2029 Senior Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,390			2,052	1,188
Receivables	1,018,436			902,155	858,552
Inventories	5,708			5,216	6,084
Other current assets	3,450			1,564	3,675
Total current assets	1,030,984			910,987	869,499
Property and equipment (net)	1,651,137			1,426,292	1,409,366
Investment in Park	264,426			218,574	246,968
Goodwill	111,217			111,217	111,217
Other Intangibles, net	46,278			23,346	23,368
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	427
Other Assets	8,983			8,988	9,062
Total Assets	3,113,452			2,699,404	2,669,480
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	5,517			3,625	6,825
Deferred revenue	24,959			24,552	26,587
Accrued interest	0			0	0
Accrued taxes	37,091			19,400	1,442
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	1,607			2,066	1,973
Other accrued liabilities	2,028			4,553	4,622
Total current liabilities	71,202			54,196	41,449
Deferred Tax Liability	87,516			87,516	81,945
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	258
Other Liabilities	11,535			9,802	11,630
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	0			0	0
Equity	2,942,941			2,547,890	2,534,456
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	3,113,452			2,699,404	2,669,480
2027 and 2029 Senior Notes [Member] | Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	(586)			(692)	(3,633)
Receivables	(1,032,810)			(922,469)	(885,049)
Inventories	0			0	0
Other current assets	(2,356)			(5,007)	(2,728)
Total current assets	(1,035,752)			(928,168)	(891,410)
Property and equipment (net)	0			0	0
Investment in Park	(4,730,591)			(3,782,984)	(3,850,844)
Goodwill	0			0	0
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	(18,224)			(18,224)	(19,870)
Right-of-Use Asset	0
Other Assets	0			0	0
Total Assets	(5,784,567)			(4,729,376)	(4,762,124)
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	(1,033,396)			(923,161)	(888,682)
Deferred revenue	0			0	0
Accrued interest	0			0	0
Accrued taxes	(2,356)			(5,007)	(2,728)
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	0			0	0
Other accrued liabilities	0			0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,035,752)			(928,168)	(891,410)
Deferred Tax Liability	(18,224)			(18,224)	(19,870)
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	0
Other Liabilities	0			0	0
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	0			0	0
Equity	(4,730,591)			(3,782,984)	(3,850,844)
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	(5,784,567)			(4,729,376)	(4,762,124)
2027 and 2029 Senior Notes [Member] | Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Magnum) [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0	0
Receivables	1,013			1,093	991
Inventories	0			0	0
Other current assets	585			1,411	1,170
Total current assets	1,598			2,504	2,161
Property and equipment (net)	777			802	811
Investment in Park	1,373,024			1,182,345	1,205,086
Goodwill	0			0	0
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	18,224			18,224	19,870
Right-of-Use Asset	0
Other Assets	0			0	2,926
Total Assets	1,393,623			1,203,875	1,230,854
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,313			984	656
Accounts payable	406,621			359,953	334,696
Deferred revenue	0			0	0
Accrued interest	91			1	75
Accrued taxes	217			6,668	38,538
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	35,923			17,552	28,162
Self-insurance reserves	9,837			10,214	10,459
Other accrued liabilities	4,276			4,903	6,796
Total current liabilities	458,278			400,275	419,382
Deferred Tax Liability	0			0	0
Derivative Liability	23,727			5,796
Lease Liability	0
Other Liabilities	761			1,169	968
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	126,028			126,525	126,800
Notes	0			0	0
Total long-term debt	126,028			126,525	126,800
Equity	784,829			670,110	683,704
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	1,393,623			1,203,875	1,230,854
2027 and 2029 Senior Notes [Member] | Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Cedar Canada) [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	72,626			73,326	77,878
Receivables	34,777			34,497	47,193
Inventories	2,616			2,135	2,260
Other current assets	3,610			5,462	3,594
Total current assets	113,629			115,420	130,925
Property and equipment (net)	180,417			172,344	178,522
Investment in Park	291,833			262,462	259,710
Goodwill	60,178			58,440	61,725
Other Intangibles, net	13,415			13,030	13,763
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	83
Other Assets	38			36	39
Total Assets	659,593			621,732	644,684
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0			0	0
Accounts payable	3,198			2,430	2,868
Deferred revenue	12,344			8,460	9,397
Accrued interest	7,999			2,054	7,601
Accrued taxes	0			0	0
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	3,283			1,234	2,416
Self-insurance reserves	1,560			1,433	1,635
Other accrued liabilities	498			136	585
Total current liabilities	28,882			15,747	24,502
Deferred Tax Liability	13,366			12,425	12,562
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	68
Other Liabilities	477			0	390
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	0			0	0
Notes	446,665			446,241	445,846
Total long-term debt	446,665			446,241	445,846
Equity	170,135			147,319	161,384
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	659,593			621,732	644,684
2027 and 2029 Senior Notes [Member] | Co-Issuer Subsidiary (Millennium) [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	182,686			30,663	115,323
Receivables	47,338			36,242	36,711
Inventories	29,410			23,402	28,205
Other current assets	14,617			8,980	15,871
Total current assets	274,051			99,287	196,110
Property and equipment (net)	0			0	0
Investment in Park	2,119,748			1,517,897	1,490,666
Goodwill	186,382			8,388	8,388
Other Intangibles, net	0			0	0
Deferred Tax Asset	0			0	0
Right-of-Use Asset	10,557
Other Assets	2,648			417	312
Total Assets	2,593,386			1,625,989	1,695,476
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	6,187			4,641	3,094
Accounts payable	20,844			14,995	23,330
Deferred revenue	92,962			74,062	66,342
Accrued interest	21,955			5,871	14,104
Accrued taxes	11,358			8,087	9,569
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	0			0	0
Self-insurance reserves	10,833			10,308	11,856
Other accrued liabilities	6,971			5,471	6,937
Total current liabilities	171,110			123,435	135,232
Deferred Tax Liability	0			0	0
Derivative Liability	0			0
Lease Liability	7,114
Other Liabilities	6,193			87	3,304
Long-Term Debt:
Term debt	591,336			592,982	594,046
Notes	984,947			491,820	491,594
Total long-term debt	1,576,283			1,084,802	1,085,640
Equity	832,686			417,665	471,300
Total Liabilities and Partners' Equity	$ 2,593,386			$ 1,625,989	$ 1,695,476