Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Intercompany fee income (expense)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	0	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	195,799	180,391	148,817
Net cash provided by operating activities	195,799	180,391	148,817
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(53,175)	(131,057)	(135,112)
Proceeds from sale of real estate	1,700	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(3,970)	(16,691)	(1,677)
Cash paid related to Cappelli settlement	0	(4,586)	0
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(19,688)	(5,696)	(35,945)
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Mortgage Notes Receivable	0	0	3,512
Payments to Acquire Notes Receivable	0	0	(4,108)
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Notes Receivable	0	0	1,000
Investment in direct financing leases, net	(2,113)	(51,833)	0
Additions to properties under development	(57,926)	(4,934)	(19,672)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	0	0	0
Advances to subsidiaries, net	0	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(135,172)	(214,797)	(192,002)
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations	(58)	(112,977)	0
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	224,912	7,456	0
Net cash used by investing activities	89,682	(320,318)	(192,002)
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	387,000	770,225	132,006
Principal payments on long-term debt	(425,859)	(616,494)	(266,423)
Deferred financing fees paid	(3,731)	(11,609)	(5,017)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	253	141,134	284,965
Redemption of preferred shares	(80,030)	0	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	966	(815)	(805)
Proceeds from Payment of Shareholder Loan	0	281	0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(3,070)	(2,182)	(1,201)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests	0	10	(209)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(157,844)	(146,324)	(126,907)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities of continuing operations	(282,315)	134,226	16,409
Net cash used by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	(6,271)	(751)
Net cash provided by financing activities	(282,315)	127,955	15,658
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(317)	610	583
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	2,849	(11,362)	(26,944)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	11,776	23,138	50,082
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	14,625	11,776	23,138
Entertainment Properties Trust (Issuer) [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	2,726	2,595	2,345
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	16,665	28,145	21,026
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	(12,924)	4,206	1,868
Net cash provided by operating activities	6,467	34,946	25,239
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(603)	(4,286)	(240)
Proceeds from sale of real estate	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(2,773)	(15,662)	(64)
Cash paid related to Cappelli settlement		3,483
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Mortgage Notes Receivable			0
Payments to Acquire Notes Receivable			0
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Notes Receivable			0
Investment in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Additions to properties under development	0	0	0
Investment in intercompany notes payable	127,111	(42,801)	(5,430)
Advances to subsidiaries, net	108,495	(218,024)	(202,925)
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	232,230	(277,290)
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities	232,230	(277,290)	(208,659)
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	0	245,725	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	0	0	0
Deferred financing fees paid	(396)	(5,686)	(75)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	253	141,134	284,965
Redemption of preferred shares	(80,030)
Impact of stock option exercises, net	966	(815)	(805)
Proceeds from Payment of Shareholder Loan		281
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(3,070)	(2,182)	(1,201)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		0	0
Dividends paid to shareholders	(157,844)	(146,324)	(126,907)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities of continuing operations		232,133	155,977
Net cash used by financing activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	(240,121)	232,133	155,977
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,424)	(10,211)	(27,443)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	3,356	13,567	41,010
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	1,932	3,356	13,567
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	0	0	0
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	0	(12,756)	(7,717)
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	120,103	99,172	67,403
Net cash provided by operating activities	120,103	86,416	59,686
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(41,795)	(124,623)	(123,498)
Proceeds from sale of real estate	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	0
Cash paid related to Cappelli settlement		0
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(18,391)	(5,696)	(35,945)
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Mortgage Notes Receivable			0
Payments to Acquire Notes Receivable			0
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Notes Receivable			0
Investment in direct financing leases, net	(2,113)	(51,833)
Additions to properties under development	(35,385)	(376)	0
Investment in intercompany notes payable	(132,067)	38,072	0
Advances to subsidiaries, net	(174,548)	188,298	219,931
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(404,299)	43,842
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations	(58)	(111,718)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	205,936	0
Net cash used by investing activities	(198,421)	(67,876)	60,488
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	387,000	524,500	128,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(306,000)	(535,100)	(243,200)
Deferred financing fees paid	(3,330)	(5,870)	(4,773)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Redemption of preferred shares	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	0	0	0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	0	0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		0	0
Dividends paid to shareholders	0	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities of continuing operations		(16,470)	(119,973)
Net cash used by financing activities of discontinued operations		(1,348)	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	77,670	(17,818)	(119,973)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(166)	286	(149)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(814)	1,008	52
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	1,116	108	56
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	302	1,116	108
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	(2,726)	(2,595)	(2,345)
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	(16,665)	(15,389)	(13,309)
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	88,620	77,013	79,546
Net cash provided by operating activities	69,229	59,029	63,892
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(10,777)	(2,148)	(11,374)
Proceeds from sale of real estate	1,700
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,197)	(1,029)	(1,613)
Cash paid related to Cappelli settlement		(8,069)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(1,297)	0	0
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Mortgage Notes Receivable			3,512
Payments to Acquire Notes Receivable			(4,108)
Proceeds from Sale and Collection of Notes Receivable			1,000
Investment in direct financing leases, net	0	0
Additions to properties under development	(22,541)	(4,558)	(19,672)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	4,956	4,729	5,430
Advances to subsidiaries, net	66,053	29,726	(17,006)
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	36,897	18,651
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations	0	(1,259)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	18,976	7,456
Net cash used by investing activities	55,873	24,848	(43,831)
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	0	0	4,006
Principal payments on long-term debt	(119,859)	(81,394)	(23,223)
Deferred financing fees paid	(5)	(53)	(169)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Redemption of preferred shares	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	0	0	0
Proceeds from Payment of Shareholder Loan		0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	0	0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		10	(209)
Dividends paid to shareholders	0	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities of continuing operations		(81,437)	(19,595)
Net cash used by financing activities of discontinued operations		(4,923)	(751)
Net cash provided by financing activities	(119,864)	(86,360)	(20,346)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(151)	324	732
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	5,087	(2,159)	447
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	7,304	9,463	9,016
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	$ 12,391	$ 7,304	$ 9,463