Acquisitions (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 29, 2013	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Jan. 19, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 11, 2014
Contingent Consideration, Key Assumptions for Valuation				The estimated fair value of Contingent Consideration includes the resort operations of Park City Mountain Resort, following completion of the acquisition, in the calculation of EBITDA on which participating contingent payments are made, and increases the EBITDA threshold before which participating contingent payments are made by 10% of the purchase price paid by the Company for Park City Mountain Resort along with all future capital expenditures associated with Park City. The Company estimated the fair value of the Contingent Consideration payments using an option pricing valuation model. Key assumptions included a discount rate of 11.0%, volatility of 20.0% and credit risk of 2.5%. The model also incorporates assumptions for EBITDA and capital expenditures, which are unobservable inputs and thus are considered Level 3 inputs.
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration, at Fair Value				$ 11,100	$ 6,900	$ 10,500
Change in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration				4,200	(3,600)
Total debt				702,320	816,830
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Next Twelve Months				26,623
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired				20,245	307,051	0
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Two Years				27,156
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Three Years				27,699
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Four Years				28,253
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due in Five Years				28,818
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due Thereafter				1,895,005
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due				2,033,554
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Interest Included in Payments				$ (1,710,455)
Optional Lease Renewal Term				P20Y
Canyons Obligation, Interest Rate				10.00%
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Description				42% of the amount by which EBITDA for the resort operations, as calculated under the Lease, exceed approximately $35 million, as established at the transaction date, with such threshold amount subsequently increased annually by an inflation linked index and a 10% adjustment for any capital improvements or investments made under the Lease by the Company.
Gain (Loss) Related to Litigation Settlement				$ 0	16,400	0
Park City litigation settlement payment				0	(10,000)	$ 0
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				$ 7,400	124,173
Wilmot [Member]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition		Jan. 19, 2016
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill							$ 400
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		10 years
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred		$ 20,200
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment							12,500
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets							200
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable							$ 300
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		$ 7,400
Canyons [Member]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition	May 24, 2013
Initial Capital Lease Term	50 years
Optional Lease Renewal Term	six 50-year renewal options
Minimum Capital Lease Payment, Annual	$ 25,000
Adjustments to Capital Lease Annual Payments	inflation linked index of CPI less 1%, with a floor of 2% per annum
Lease Expiration Date				Jan. 01, 2079
PCMR [Member]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition				Sep. 11, 2014
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill									$ 27,650
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life				46 years
Net operation revenue from acquiree				$ 67,100
Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions, Additional Disclosures, Acquisition Cost Expensed					800
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments			$ 13,000
Business Combination, Cash Consideration Transferred				182,500
Gain (Loss) Related to Litigation Settlement				16,400
Fair value of litigation settlement				10,100
Litigation settlement accounted for as consideration				26,500
Park City litigation settlement payment				$ 10,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred					$ 208,950
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment									76,605
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable									$ 1,935
Perisher [Member]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition					Jun. 30, 2015
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill								$ 5,458
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired					$ 124,551
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life					4 years
Net operation revenue from acquiree					$ 21,800
Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions, Additional Disclosures, Acquisition Cost Expensed					$ 5,200
Optional Lease Renewal Term					20-year renewal option
Lease Expiration Date				Jan. 01, 2048	Jan. 01, 2048
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred					$ 124,551
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment								126,287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets								525
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable								$ 11,394
Goodwill, Acquired During Period					31,657
Canyons Obligation [Member]
Total debt				$ 323,099	$ 317,455