| **Supplementary Balance Sheet Information (Composition Of Property, Plant And Equipment) (Details) (USD $)In Thousands, unless otherwise specified** | Apr. 30, 2015                                                                               | Jul. 31, 2014                                                                               | Apr. 30, 2014                                                                               |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Balance Sheet Related Disclosures [Abstract]**                                                                                                     |                                                                                        |                                                                                        |                                                                                        |
| Land and land improvements                                                                                                                           | $ 413,775mtn_LandAndLandImprovementsGross                                                   | $ 348,328mtn_LandAndLandImprovementsGross                                                   | $ 350,674mtn_LandAndLandImprovementsGross                                                   |
| Buildings and building improvements                                                                                                                  | 957,594us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross                                                | 907,280us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross                                                | 908,829us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross                                                |
| Machinery and equipment                                                                                                                              | 777,011us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross                                                   | 700,745us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross                                                   | 701,825us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentGross                                                   |
| Furniture and fixtures                                                                                                                               | 284,403us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesGross                                                    | 269,209us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesGross                                                    | 273,202us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesGross                                                    |
| Software                                                                                                                                             | 105,482us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareGross                                             | 98,653us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareGross                                              | 99,958us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareGross                                              |
| Vehicles                                                                                                                                             | 59,708mtn_VehiclesGross                                                                     | 55,724mtn_VehiclesGross                                                                     | 55,324mtn_VehiclesGross                                                                     |
| Construction in progress                                                                                                                             | 20,245us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross                                                   | 31,487us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross                                                   | 19,453us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressGross                                                   |
| Gross property, plant and equipment                                                                                                                  | 2,618,218us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross                                             | 2,411,426us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross                                             | 2,409,265us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross                                             |
| Accumulated depreciation                                                                                                                             | (1,359,125)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment | (1,263,436)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment | (1,244,878)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
| Property, plant and equipment, net                                                                                                                   | $ 1,259,093us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet                                             | $ 1,147,990us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet                                             | $ 1,164,387us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet                                             |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Gross amount, as of the balance sheet date, of real estate held for productive use. This excludes land held for sale and alterations to land which improves its potential for use. Generally consisting of items having limited lives, such as walkways, driveways, fences, and parking lots, such improvements are depreciated over the useful lives of the subject assets.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Gross amount, as of the balance sheet date, of long-lived, depreciable assets that include automobiles and trucks.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount before accumulated depreciation of building structures held for productive use including addition, improvement, or renovation to the structure, including, but not limited to, interior masonry, interior flooring, electrical, and plumbing.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount before accumulated amortization of capitalized costs for computer software, including but not limited to, acquired and internally developed computer software.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of structure or a modification to a structure under construction. Includes recently completed structures or modifications to structures that have not been placed into service.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount before accumulated depreciation of equipment commonly used in offices and stores that have no permanent connection to the structure of a building or utilities. Examples include, but are not limited to, desks, chairs, tables, and bookcases.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount before accumulated depreciation of tangible personal property used to produce goods and services, including, but is not limited to, tools, dies and molds, computer and office equipment.
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|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.
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| - Definition
Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.
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