Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital and Comprehensive Income (USD $) In Thousands	General Partner's Capital [Member]	Limited Partners' Capital [Member]	Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund deferred compensation plans [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Total
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2008	$ 1,633	$ 1,621,168	$ (36,815)	$ (24,463)	$ 1,561,523
Net (loss) income	179	167,010			167,189
Cash distributions to unitholders	(144)	(132,929)
Issuance of Holding Units to fund deferred compensation plan awards		272,167
Proceeds from exercise of compensatory options to buy Holding Units		0
Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund deferred compensation plans			(86,968)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				1,461
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax				13,043
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				1,975
Other		575
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2009	1,668	1,927,991	(123,783)	(7,984)	1,797,892
Net (loss) income	131	134,027			134,158
Cash distributions to unitholders	(151)	(151,208)
Issuance of Holding Units to fund deferred compensation plan awards		78,545
Proceeds from exercise of compensatory options to buy Holding Units		8,287
Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund deferred compensation plans			(76,501)		(76,501)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				139
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax				(147)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(3,904)
Other		0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2010	1,648	1,997,642	(200,284)	(11,896)	1,787,110
Net (loss) income	(88)	(93,180)			(93,268)
Cash distributions to unitholders	(144)	(145,552)
Issuance of Holding Units to fund deferred compensation plan awards		0
Proceeds from exercise of compensatory options to buy Holding Units		1,478
Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund deferred compensation plans			79,098		79,098
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				149
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax				2,979
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(5,677)
Other		0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 1,416	$ 1,760,388	$ (121,186)	$ (14,445)	$ 1,626,173