Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended						9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																										0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 years	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 American Multi-Cinema, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 American Multi-Cinema, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 American Multi-Cinema, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 AMCE [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 AMCE [Member] week	Mar. 31, 2010 AMCE [Member] week	Apr. 01, 2009 AMCE [Member] week	Dec. 31, 2011 Four Entertainment Retail Centers Member	Dec. 31, 2010 Four Entertainment Retail Centers Member	Dec. 31, 2009 Four Entertainment Retail Centers Member	Dec. 31, 2011 Toronto Dundas Square [Member] sqft	Dec. 31, 2011 Share Options [Member] years	Dec. 31, 2010 Share Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Share Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Share Options [Member] Employee [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Share Options [Member] Employee [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Share Options [Member] Employee [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Share Options [Member] Non-Employee Trustees [Member] years	Dec. 31, 2009 Share Options [Member] Non-Employee Trustees [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Share Units [Member] Non-Employee Trustees [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Share Units [Member] Non-Employee Trustees [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted Share Units [Member] Non-Employee Trustees [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 VinREIT [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 VinREIT [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 VinREIT [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 VinREIT LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 VinREIT LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 VinREIT LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 White Plains LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 White Plains LLC [Member]	Jun. 18, 2010 New Roc [Member]	Jun. 17, 2010 New Roc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 New Roc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 New Roc [Member]	Jun. 17, 2010 White Plains LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member] years	Dec. 31, 2010 Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Leases, Acquired-in-Place, Market Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Leases, Acquired-in-Place, Market Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 ONTARIO Entertainment Retail Center Properties [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 ONTARIO Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member] Four Entertainment Retail Centers Member properties	Dec. 31, 2011 CALIFORNIA Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member] Entertainment Retail Center Properties [Member] properties
Principles of Consolidation [Abstract]
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									$ 38,000	$ (1,819,000)	$ (19,913,000)																							$ 38,000	$ 86,000	$ 231,000	$ 39,900,000	$ 2,200,000	$ 2,100,000	$ 1,900,000	$ 20,100,000
Noncontrolling interests	28,054,000				28,019,000				28,054,000	28,019,000																											269,000	231,000
Transferred partnership ownership interest percentage																																										100.00%	71.40%
Company's consolidated VIEs interest																																														66.67%
Rental Properties [Abstract]
Estimated useful live of buildings (in years)									40
Estimated useful lives of furniture, fixtures and equipment minimum (in years)									3
Estimated useful lives of furniture, fixtures and equipment maximum (in years)									25
Accounting for Acquisitions [Abstract]
Transaction costs									1,730,000	517,000	3,321,000
Transaction costs, continued and discontinued operations										7,800,000
Transaction costs, discontinued operations									0	7,270,000	0
Intangible assets, net																																															3,792,000	29,651,000		0	5,300,000
Goodwill	693,000				693,000				693,000	693,000
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)	4,485,000				35,644,000				4,485,000	35,644,000
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization																																															9,600,000	11,300,000			200,000
In-place leases relating to properties, number of properties																																																					4	1
Weighted average useful life for in-place leases																																															3.5
Amortization expense																																															1,300,000	1,200,000	1,100,000	20,000	200,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Abstract]
2012									1,220,000
2013									1,219,000
2014									644,000
2015									528,000
2016									165,000
Thereafter									16,000
Total									3,792,000
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]
Percentage rents									1,600,000	1,700,000	1,400,000
Participating interest income									500,000	0	0
Lease termination fees									1,100,000	0	0
Lease termination fees within discontinued operations									1,000,000
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Abstract]
Allowance for doubtful accounts	5,152,000				6,691,000				5,152,000	6,691,000
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Percent of taxable income distributed to shareholders annually									90.00%
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	17,500,000				33,800,000				17,500,000	33,800,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities	4,100,000				21,700,000				4,100,000	21,700,000
Concentration Risks, Types, No Concentration Percentage [Abstract]
Percent of megaplex theatre rental leased by AMC												35.00%
Rental revenue									226,031,000	219,949,000	193,016,000	105,300,000	106,400,000	103,700,000
Percentage of lease revenue in total revenue												35.00%	37.00%	40.00%					14.00%	14.00%	14.00%
Number of Real Estate Properties																																																				4
Total assets	2,733,995,000				2,923,420,000				2,733,995,000	2,923,420,000						3,700,000,000	3,700,000,000
Total liabilities	1,235,892,000				1,292,162,000				1,235,892,000	1,292,162,000						3,400,000,000	2,900,000,000
Total stockholders' equity	1,470,049,000				1,603,239,000				1,470,049,000	1,603,239,000						360,000,000	761,000,000
Net income attributable to Entertainment Properties Trust	31,940,000	25,749,000	(7,549,000)	34,179,000	26,652,000	27,457,000	8,036,000	22,523,000	115,228,000	114,874,000	8,007,000				82,700,000	122,900,000	69,800,000	81,200,000																						3,100,000	42,900,000			1,100,000	900,000
Number of weeks in lessee's fiscal year																52	52	52
Total revenue	77,608,000	75,995,000	74,438,000	73,618,000	74,679,000	74,478,000	70,387,000	70,299,000	301,659,000	289,843,000	256,286,000								42,300,000	40,800,000	35,900,000
Area of land acquired (in square feet)																						330,000
Area of signage business acquired (in square feet)																						25,000
Net assets of wholly owned subsidiary																			144,600,000	355,200,000
Wholly owned subsidiary percentage in net assets																			10.00%	22.00%																	96.00%					100.00%
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share based compensation									5,610,000	4,710,000	4,307,000
Stock-option expense																							777,000	674,000	679,000
Share based compensation, risk-free interest rate minimum																							2.50%	2.60%	2.60%
Share based compensation, risk-free interest rate maximum																							3.10%	3.10%	2.80%
Share based compensation, dividend yield																							6.40%	6.50%	6.60%
Share based compensation, volatility factors in the expected market price																							39.80%
Share-based compensation, volatility factors in the expected market price, minimum																								39.50%	31.40%
Share-based compensation, volatility factors in teh expected market price, maximum																								39.60%	37.50%
Share based compensation, expected life (in years)																							8
Share based compensation, future vesting period minimum (in years)									three														4			3
Share based compensation, future vesting period maximum (in years)									five														5			5
Number of years from date of grant that share options may not be exercised																													1
Share based compensation expense related to employees and trustees																										$ 4,200,000	$ 3,600,000	$ 3,300,000		$ 111,000	$ 493,000	$ 445,000	$ 260,000