|**Selected Quarterly Financial Data**                                  | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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|**Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]**              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Selected Quarterly Financial Data                                      | Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited--in thousands, except per share amounts)2012Year Ended July 31, 2012Quarter Ended, July 31, 2012Quarter Ended, April 30, 2012Quarter Ended, January 31, 2012Quarter Ended, October 31, 2011Mountain revenue$766,608$46,414$354,586$315,938$49,670Lodging revenue210,62354,75153,97248,30653,594Real estate revenue47,16312,37912,5879,08813,109Total net revenue1,024,394113,544421,145373,332116,373Income (loss) from operations59,331(80,919)140,40684,218(84,374)Net income (loss)16,391(53,824)79,52846,421(55,734)Net income (loss) attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.$16,453$(53,796)$79,569$46,389$(55,709)Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.$0.46$(1.50)$2.21$1.29$(1.54)Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.$0.45$(1.50)$2.17$1.27$(1.54)2011Year Ended July 31, 2011Quarter Ended, July 31, 2011Quarter Ended, April 30, 2011Quarter Ended, January 31, 2011Quarter Ended, October 31, 2010Mountain revenue$752,191$41,717$351,418$318,277$40,779Lodging revenue214,65854,38857,47751,67651,117Real estate revenue200,19712,56813,22125,147149,261Total net revenue1,167,046108,673422,116395,100241,157Income (loss) from operations94,472(77,828)139,49597,061(64,256)Net income (loss)34,422(53,915)76,84054,557(43,060)Net income (loss) attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.$34,489$(53,906)$76,867$54,551$(43,023)Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.$0.96$(1.49)$2.13$1.52$(1.20)Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.$0.94$(1.49)$2.08$1.48$(1.20)
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|                                                                       | 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                       | Year Ended July 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Mountain revenue                                                       | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Lodging revenue                                                        | 210,623                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Real estate revenue                                                    | 47,163                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Total net revenue                                                      | 1,024,394                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Income (loss) from operations                                          | 59,331                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Net income (loss)                                                      | 16,391                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Net income (loss) attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.                   | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.   | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc. | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
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|                                                                       | 2011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                       | Year Ended July 31, 2011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Mountain revenue                                                       | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Lodging revenue                                                        | 214,658                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Real estate revenue                                                    | 200,197                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Total net revenue                                                      | 1,167,046                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Income (loss) from operations                                          | 94,472                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Net income (loss)                                                      | 34,422                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Net income (loss) attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.                   | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.   | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc. | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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