|**Supplementary Balance Sheet Information (Tables)**   | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
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|**Balance Sheet Related Disclosures [Abstract]**       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Composition Of Property, Plant And Equipment           | The composition of property, plant and equipment follows (in thousands):April 30, 2015July 31, 2014April 30, 2014Land and land improvements$413,775$348,328$350,674Buildings and building improvements957,594907,280908,829Machinery and equipment777,011700,745701,825Furniture and fixtures284,403269,209273,202Software105,48298,65399,958Vehicles59,70855,72455,324Construction in progress20,24531,48719,453Gross property, plant and equipment2,618,2182,411,4262,409,265Accumulated depreciation(1,359,125)(1,263,436)(1,244,878)Property, plant and equipment, net$1,259,093$1,147,990$1,164,387
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|Land and land improvements                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Buildings and building improvements                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Machinery and equipment                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Furniture and fixtures                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Software                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Vehicles                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Construction in progress                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Gross property, plant and equipment                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Accumulated depreciation                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Property, plant and equipment, net                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Components Of Accounts Payable And Accrued Liabilities | The composition of accounts payable and accrued liabilities follows (in thousands):April 30, 2015July 31, 2014April 30, 2014Trade payables$52,371$71,823$48,406Deferred revenue115,300110,56693,135Accrued salaries, wages and deferred compensation38,59429,83335,221Accrued benefits26,45921,35125,468Deposits18,19915,27217,772Accrued interest7,8655,42913,549Other accruals34,26834,94431,226Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities$293,056$289,218$264,777                                                                                                                                
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|Trade payables                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Deferred revenue                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Accrued salaries, wages and deferred compensation      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Accrued benefits                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Deposits                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Accrued interest                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Other accruals                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Components Of Other Long-Term Liabilities              | The composition of other long-term liabilities follows (in thousands):April 30, 2015July 31, 2014April 30, 2014Private club deferred initiation fee revenue$128,295$128,824$130,543Unfavorable lease obligation, net29,32531,33832,034Other long-term liabilities78,312100,51977,357Total other long-term liabilities$235,932$260,681$239,934                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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|Private club deferred initiation fee revenue           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Unfavorable lease obligation, net                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Other long-term liabilities                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Total other long-term liabilities                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]                | The changes in the net carrying amount of goodwill allocated between the Company's segments for theninemonths endedApril 30, 2015are as follows (in thousands):MountainLodgingGoodwill, netBalance at July 31, 2014$310,249$67,899$378,148Acquisition92,431—92,431Effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates(293)—(293)Balance at April 30, 2015$402,387$67,899$470,286                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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|                                                       | Mountain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Balance at July 31, 2014                               | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Acquisition                                            | 92,431                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates  | (293                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Balance at April 30, 2015                              | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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