The Company and Basis of Presentation (Details)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2012 theatre state screen	Sep. 29, 2011 screen theatre state
The Company and Basis of Presentation
Number of screens	503	543
Number of theatres	56	62
Number of states in which the entity operates	17	18
Number of weeks in each fiscal quarter for a 52-week fiscal year	91 days
Minimum
The Company and Basis of Presentation
Number of weeks in a fiscal year	364 days
Maximum
The Company and Basis of Presentation
Number of weeks in a fiscal year	371 days

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Disclosure of the number of weeks included in the financial results of each fiscal year.

No definition available.

Number of screens in operation by the entity as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	uatc_NumberOfScreensInOperation
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Number of theatres in operation by the entity as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	uatc_NumberOfTheatresInOperation
Namespace Prefix:	uatc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Disclosure of the number of weeks in each fiscal quarter for a 52-week fiscal year.

No definition available.

Name:	uatc_NumberOfWeeksInFiscalQuarter52WeekYear
Namespace Prefix:	uatc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant