Acquisitions (Summary Pro Forma Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2017	Jan. 31, 2016
Pro Forma Financial Information [Line Items]
Pro forma net revenue	$ 683,902	$ 926,127	$ 879,352
Pro forma net income attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$ 133,014	$ 85,126	$ 64,123
Pro forma basic net income per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$ 3.33	$ 2.13	$ 1.60
Pro forma diluted net income per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$ 3.24	$ 2.07	$ 1.56

[Line Items] for Pro Forma Financial Information [Table]

No definition available.

Name:	mtn_ProFormaFinancialInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	mtn_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The pro forma basic net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56956515&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaEarningsPerShareBasic
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The pro forma diluted net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaEarningsPerShareDiluted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaNetIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration