| **Segment Information (Tables)**                       | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
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| **Segment Reporting [Abstract]**                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| Summary Of Financial Information By Reportable Segment | The following table presents financial information by reportable segment which is used by management in evaluating performance and allocating resources (in thousands):   Three Months Ended October 31,  2012 2011Net revenue:    Lift tickets $— $—Ski school — —Dining 6,373 5,647Retail/rental 26,725 26,964Other 18,814 17,059Total Mountain net revenue 51,912 49,670Lodging 52,508 53,594Total Resort net revenue 104,420 103,264Real estate 11,930 13,109Total net revenue $116,350 $116,373Operating expense:    Mountain $107,548 $98,555Lodging 51,806 55,301Total Resort operating expense 159,354 153,856Real estate 15,614 17,847Total segment operating expense $174,968 $171,703Mountain equity investment income, net $434 $430Reported EBITDA:    Mountain $(55,202) $(48,455)Lodging 702 (1,707)Resort (54,500) (50,162)Real estate (3,684) (4,738)Total Reported EBITDA $(58,184) $(54,900)     Real estate held for sale and investment $227,662 $263,130     Reconciliation to net loss attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc:    Total Reported EBITDA $(58,184) $(54,900)Depreciation and amortization (31,679) (28,930)Loss on disposal of fixed assets, net (2) (114)Investment income, net 54 64Interest expense, net (8,375) (8,241)Loss before benefit from income taxes (98,186) (92,121)Benefit from income taxes 37,583 36,387Net loss $(60,603) $(55,734)Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 23 25Net loss attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc. $(60,580) $(55,709) |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the profit or loss and total assets for each reportable segment. An entity discloses certain information on each reportable segment if the amounts (a) are included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) are otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8736-108599Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 25 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8813-108599Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 131 -Paragraph 27, 28 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8906-108599Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8721-108599
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