Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Jan. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Jul. 31, 2010	Apr. 30, 2010	Jan. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2009	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010	Jul. 31, 2009
Selected Quarterly Financial Data
Mountain	$ 41,717,000	$ 351,418,000	$ 318,277,000	$ 40,779,000	$ 36,100,000	$ 302,213,000	$ 260,978,000	$ 39,204,000	$ 752,191,000	$ 638,495,000	$ 614,597,000
Lodging revenue	54,388,000	57,477,000	51,676,000	51,117,000	51,322,000	51,880,000	44,802,000	47,297,000	214,658,000	195,301,000	203,606,000
Real estate revenue	12,568,000	13,221,000	25,147,000	149,261,000	56,768,000	3,164,000	870,000	205,000	200,197,000	61,007,000	186,150,000
Total net revenue	108,673,000	422,116,000	395,100,000	241,157,000	144,190,000	357,257,000	306,650,000	86,706,000	1,167,046,000	894,803,000	1,004,353,000
Income (loss) from operations	(77,828,000)	139,495,000	97,061,000	(64,256,000)	(57,841,000)	118,323,000	73,541,000	(64,714,000)	94,472,000	69,309,000	106,134,000
Net income (loss)	(53,935,000)	76,840,000	54,577,000	(43,060,000)	(42,184,000)	76,391,000	45,079,000	(43,511,000)	34,422,000	35,775,000	50,552,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	(53,906,000)	76,867,000	54,551,000	(43,023,000)	(41,921,000)	72,789,000	40,690,000	(41,173,000)	34,489,000	30,385,000	48,950,000
Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$ (1.49)	$ 2.13	$ 1.52	$ (1.20)	$ (1.16)	$ 2.01	$ 1.12	$ (1.14)	$ 0.96	$ 0.84	$ 1.34
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Vail Resorts, Inc.	$ (1.49)	$ 2.08	$ 1.48	$ (1.20)	$ (1.16)	$ 1.98	$ 1.11	$ (1.14)	$ 0.94	$ 0.83	$ 1.33
Lodging Revenue Net	54,388,000	57,477,000	51,676,000	51,117,000	51,322,000	51,880,000	44,802,000	47,297,000	214,658,000	195,301,000	203,606,000
Quarterly Lodging net revenue before revision of payroll cost reimbursement		$ 49,800,000	$ 44,700,000	$ 44,400,000	$ 44,200,000	$ 44,900,000	$ 38,700,000	$ 41,400,000