Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Rental properties, net	$ 1,858,204	$ 1,885,093
Rental properties held for sale, net	2,788	2,788
Land held for development	197,740	196,177
Property under development	38,369	29,376
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	468,557	455,752
Investments in direct financing leases, net	235,302	234,089
Investment in joint ventures	12,287	11,971
Cash and cash equivalents	11,763	10,664	11,474	14,625
Restricted cash	32,614	23,991
Deferred financing costs, net	18,708	19,679
Accounts receivable, net	38,246	38,738
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	37,214	38,412
Total assets	2,951,792	2,946,730
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	47,798	65,481
Dividends payable	43,113	41,186
Unearned rents and interest	19,984	11,333
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Long-term debt	1,383,392	1,368,832
Total liabilities	1,494,287	1,486,832
EPR Properties shareholders’ equity	1,457,128	1,459,521
Noncontrolling interests	377	377
Equity	1,457,505	1,459,898
Total liabilities and equity	2,951,792	2,946,730
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	0	0
Investments in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	7,398	7,250
Cash and cash equivalents	4,319	1,531	2,020	1,933
Restricted cash	0	0
Deferred financing costs, net	13,186	13,563
Accounts receivable, net	77	139
Intercompany notes receivable	104,575	103,104
Investments in subsidiaries	2,229,391	2,231,079
Other assets	20,724	21,482
Total assets	2,379,670	2,378,148
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	24,429	37,441
Dividends payable	43,113	41,186
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Long-term debt	855,000	840,000
Total liabilities	922,542	918,627
EPR Properties shareholders’ equity	1,457,128	1,459,521
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Equity	1,457,128	1,459,521
Total liabilities and equity	2,379,670	2,378,148
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	1,119,885	1,113,658
Rental properties held for sale, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	34,541	25,419
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	425,568	414,075
Investments in direct financing leases, net	235,302	234,089
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	208	651	1,282	1,243
Restricted cash	19,703	9,715
Deferred financing costs, net	4,342	4,812
Accounts receivable, net	17,873	16,830
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	3,722	3,956
Total assets	1,861,144	1,823,205
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	14,476	16,662
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	19,210	7,393
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Long-term debt	59,000	53,315
Total liabilities	92,686	77,370
EPR Properties shareholders’ equity	1,768,458	1,745,835
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Equity	1,768,458	1,745,835
Total liabilities and equity	1,861,144	1,823,205
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	738,319	771,435
Rental properties held for sale, net	2,788	2,788
Land held for development	197,740	196,177
Property under development	3,828	3,957
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	42,989	41,677
Investments in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	4,889	4,721
Cash and cash equivalents	7,236	8,482	8,172	11,449
Restricted cash	12,911	14,276
Deferred financing costs, net	1,180	1,304
Accounts receivable, net	20,296	21,769
Intercompany notes receivable	4,240	4,147
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	12,768	12,974
Total assets	1,049,184	1,083,707
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	8,893	11,378
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	774	3,940
Intercompany notes payable	108,815	107,251
Long-term debt	469,392	475,517
Total liabilities	587,874	598,086
EPR Properties shareholders’ equity	460,933	485,244
Noncontrolling interests	377	377
Equity	461,310	485,621
Total liabilities and equity	1,049,184	1,083,707
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	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
Deferred financing costs, net	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Intercompany notes receivable	(108,815)	(107,251)
Investments in subsidiaries	(2,229,391)	(2,231,079)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(2,338,206)	(2,338,330)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	(108,815)	(107,251)
Long-term debt	0	0
Total liabilities	(108,815)	(107,251)
EPR Properties shareholders’ equity	(2,229,391)	(2,231,079)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Equity	(2,229,391)	(2,231,079)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (2,338,206)	$ (2,338,330)