Related Party Transactions - Summary of Related Party Activity (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Notes receivable	$ 12,000,000	$ 0
Wheeler Interests and Affiliates [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amounts paid to Wheeler Interests and its affiliates	125,320	986,495	$ 4,011,138
Related Party Transaction Amounts Received From Related Party	1,156,461	777,218	120,746
Related Party Transaction, Due from (to) Related Party	1,456,131	481,298	463,281
Pineland Shopping Center [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Notes receivable	$ 12,000,000	$ 0	$ 0

Amounts due from parties associated with the reporting entity as evidenced by a written promise to pay, due after 1 year (or 1 business cycle).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Related Parties
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16382449

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.11)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph a
-Article 5

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Receivables to be collected from (obligations owed to) related parties, net as of the balance sheet date where one party can exercise control or significant influence over another party; including affiliates, owners or officers and their immediate families, pension trusts, and so forth.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Related party transaction amounts paid to related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	whlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Related Party Transaction Amounts Received From Related Party

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	whlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type: