Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Mountain revenue	$ 97,994	$ 572,805	$ 532,872	$ 100,933	$ 81,061	$ 499,551	$ 463,031	$ 60,386	$ 1,304,604	$ 1,104,029	$ 963,573
Lodging revenue	74,528	72,933	62,807	64,286	69,373	67,323	59,364	58,493	274,554	254,553	242,287
Real estate revenue	7,362	1,734	3,684	9,348	11,648	12,469	7,842	9,383	22,128	41,342	48,786
Total net revenue	179,884	647,472	599,363	174,567	162,082	579,343	530,237	128,262	1,601,286	1,399,924	1,254,646
Income (loss) from operations	(93,776)	263,380	200,064	(86,689)	(88,478)	227,752	160,071	(88,832)	282,979	210,513	117,263
Net income	(65,284)	157,537	116,871	(59,670)	(70,168)	133,402	115,700	(64,324)	149,454	114,610	28,206
Net income (loss) attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$ (65,273)	$ 157,632	$ 116,982	$ (59,587)	$ (70,142)	$ 133,410	$ 115,762	$ (64,276)	$ 149,754	$ 114,754	$ 28,478
Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ (1.80)	$ 4.35	$ 3.23	$ (1.63)	$ (1.92)	$ 3.67	$ 3.19	$ (1.77)	$ 4.13	$ 3.16	$ 0.79
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ (1.80)	$ 4.23	$ 3.14	$ (1.63)	$ (1.92)	$ 3.56	$ 3.10	$ (1.77)	$ 4.01	$ 3.07	$ 0.77