Equity-Based Compensation - Weighted Average Assumptions used in Option-Valuation Model (Detail) - OptionPlan	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Oct. 01, 2016	Oct. 03, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rate	2.60%	2.30%	2.10%
Expected volatility	22.00%	26.00%	24.00%
Dividend yield	1.58%	1.32%	1.37%
Termination rate	4.00%	4.00%	3.20%
Exercise multiple	1.62	1.62	1.48

Share based Compensation Arrangement by Share based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Exercise Multiple

No definition available.

Name:	dis_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExerciseMultiple
Namespace Prefix:	dis_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share based Compensation Arrangement by Share based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Termination Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dis_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsTerminationRate
Namespace Prefix:	dis_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisclosureOfCompensationRelatedCostsSharebasedPaymentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(iii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(2)(iv)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration