Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Intercompany fee income (expense)	$ 0	$ 0
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	101,272	89,822
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	101,272	89,822
Net cash provided by operating activities	103,440	92,330
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	2,168	2,508
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(40,424)	(38,924)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(661)	(2,784)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(64,561)	(6,036)
Investment in direct financing lease, net	0	(2,113)
Additions to properties under development	(43,597)	(18,437)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	0	0
Advances to subsidiaries, net	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(149,243)	(68,294)
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations	0	(58)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	12,969	212,396
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(136,274)	144,044
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	396,000	195,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(279,663)	(345,352)
Deferred financing fees paid	(2,101)	(934)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	133	145
Impact of stock option exercises, net	(480)	(499)
Proceeds from payment of shareholder loan		0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(3,209)	(3,070)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		0
Dividends paid to shareholders	(79,764)	(77,951)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	30,916	(232,661)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	32	251
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,886)	3,964
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	14,625	11,776
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	12,739	15,740
Entertainment Properties Trust (Issuer) [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	1,343	1,384
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	8,380	8,394
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	(8,976)	3,511
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	747	13,289
Net cash provided by operating activities	747	13,289
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	0	0
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(87)	(479)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(661)	(1,587)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	0	0
Investment in direct financing lease, net		0
Additions to properties under development	0	0
Investment in intercompany notes payable	(1,244)	128,917
Advances to subsidiaries, net	(151,844)	(59,072)
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(153,836)	67,779
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations		0
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(153,836)	67,779
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	240,000	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	0	0
Deferred financing fees paid	(2,091)	(347)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	133	145
Impact of stock option exercises, net	(480)	(499)
Proceeds from payment of shareholder loan		0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(3,209)	(3,070)
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		0
Dividends paid to shareholders	(79,764)	(77,951)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	154,589	(81,722)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,500	(654)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	1,932	3,356
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	3,432
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	0	0
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	64,469	51,807
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	64,469	51,807
Net cash provided by operating activities	65,534	54,886
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	1,065	3,079
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(39,654)	(28,973)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(48,339)	(6,036)
Investment in direct financing lease, net		(2,113)
Additions to properties under development	(37,845)	(10,329)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	0	(132,067)
Advances to subsidiaries, net	170,780	(28,939)
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	44,942	(208,457)
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations		(58)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	282	205,936
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	45,224	(2,579)
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	156,000	195,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(267,000)	(247,000)
Deferred financing fees paid	0	(587)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	0	0
Proceeds from payment of shareholder loan		0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		0
Dividends paid to shareholders	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(111,000)	(52,587)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	20
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(242)	(260)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	302	1,116
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	60
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	(1,343)	(1,384)
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	(8,380)	(8,394)
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	45,779	34,504
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	36,056	24,726
Net cash provided by operating activities	37,159	24,155
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	1,103	(571)
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(683)	(9,472)
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	(1,197)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(16,222)	0
Investment in direct financing lease, net		0
Additions to properties under development	(5,752)	(8,108)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	1,244	3,150
Advances to subsidiaries, net	(18,936)	88,011
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(40,349)	72,384
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations		0
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	12,687	6,460
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(27,662)	78,844
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	0	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	(12,663)	(98,352)
Deferred financing fees paid	(10)	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	0	0
Proceeds from payment of shareholder loan		0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests		0
Dividends paid to shareholders	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(12,673)	(98,352)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	32	231
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,144)	4,878
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	12,391	7,304
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	$ 9,247