Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Rental properties, net	$ 1,830,930	$ 1,819,176
Rental properties held for sale, net	3,895	4,696
Land held for development	184,457	184,457
Property under development	35,419	22,761
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	364,412	325,097
Investments in direct financing leases, net	234,875	233,619
Investment in joint ventures	10,112	25,053
Cash and cash equivalents	11,474	14,625	15,164	11,776
Restricted cash	24,938	19,312
Intangible assets, net	4,247	4,485
Deferred financing costs, net	19,303	18,527
Accounts receivable, net	35,602	35,005
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Notes receivable and related accrued interest receivable, net	4,989	5,015
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	26,192	22,167
Total assets	2,790,845	2,733,995
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	30,603	36,036
Dividends payable	41,119	38,711
Unearned rents and interest	16,388	6,850
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Long-term debt	1,224,840	1,154,295
Total liabilities	1,312,950	1,235,892
Entertainment Properties Trust shareholders' equity	1,449,823	1,470,049
Noncontrolling interests	28,072	28,054
Equity	1,477,895	1,498,103		1,498,103
Total liabilities and equity	2,790,845	2,733,995
Entertainment Properties Trust (Issuer) [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Rental properties held for sale, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	0	0
Investments in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	5,882	20,821
Cash and cash equivalents	2,019	1,932	6,779	3,356
Restricted cash	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Deferred financing costs, net	10,802	9,291
Accounts receivable, net	76	79
Intercompany notes receivable	100,341	100,030
Notes receivable and related accrued interest receivable, net	177	175
Investments in subsidiaries	1,856,474	1,627,298
Other assets	16,785	14,694
Total assets	1,992,556	1,774,320
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	11,614	15,560
Dividends payable	41,119	38,711
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Long-term debt	490,000	250,000
Total liabilities	542,733	304,271
Entertainment Properties Trust shareholders' equity	1,449,823	1,470,049
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Equity	1,449,823	1,470,049
Total liabilities and equity	1,992,556	1,774,320
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	720,372	694,331
Rental properties held for sale, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	30,878	18,295
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	333,790	323,794
Investments in direct financing leases, net	234,875	233,619
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	274	302	1,118	1,116
Restricted cash	16,939	9,871
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Deferred financing costs, net	6,078	6,512
Accounts receivable, net	6,478	6,051
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Notes receivable and related accrued interest receivable, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	3,278	3,453
Total assets	1,352,962	1,296,228
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	7,643	8,794
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	14,633	5,405
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Long-term debt	58,000	223,000
Total liabilities	80,276	237,199
Entertainment Properties Trust shareholders' equity	1,272,686	1,059,029
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Equity	1,272,686	1,059,029
Total liabilities and equity	1,352,962	1,296,228
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	1,110,558	1,124,845
Rental properties held for sale, net	3,895	4,696
Land held for development	184,457	184,457
Property under development	4,541	4,466
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	30,622	1,303
Investments in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	4,230	4,232
Cash and cash equivalents	9,181	12,391	7,267	7,304
Restricted cash	7,999	9,441
Intangible assets, net	4,247	4,485
Deferred financing costs, net	2,423	2,724
Accounts receivable, net	29,048	28,875
Intercompany notes receivable	3,873	3,788
Notes receivable and related accrued interest receivable, net	4,812	4,840
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	6,129	4,020
Total assets	1,406,015	1,394,563
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	11,346	11,682
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	1,755	1,445
Intercompany notes payable	104,214	103,818
Long-term debt	676,840	681,295
Total liabilities	794,155	798,240
Entertainment Properties Trust shareholders' equity	583,788	568,269
Noncontrolling interests	28,072	28,054
Equity	611,860	596,323
Total liabilities and equity	1,406,015	1,394,563
Consolidated Elimination [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Rental properties held for sale, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	0	0
Investments in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Deferred financing costs, net	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Intercompany notes receivable	(104,214)	(103,818)
Notes receivable and related accrued interest receivable, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(1,856,474)	(1,627,298)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,960,688)	(1,731,116)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	(104,214)	(103,818)
Long-term debt	0	0
Total liabilities	(104,214)	(103,818)
Entertainment Properties Trust shareholders' equity	(1,856,474)	(1,627,298)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Equity	(1,856,474)	(1,627,298)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (1,960,688)	$ (1,731,116)
Senoir Unsecured Notes Payable, 7.75 Percent, Due July 15, 2020 [Member]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	7.75%