Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 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	143,419	132,239
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	143,419	132,239
Net cash provided by operating activities	145,403	135,451
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	1,984	3,212
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(42,094)	(46,427)
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate	0	1,700
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,131)	(3,245)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(71,908)	(9,390)
Investment in direct financing lease, net	0	(2,118)
Proceeds from Sale of Lease Receivables	4,494	0
Additions to properties under development	(88,965)	(44,230)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	0	0
Advances to subsidiaries, net	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(199,604)	(103,710)
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations	0	(58)
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	12,969	224,912
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(186,635)	121,144
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	798,000	328,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(616,400)	(379,428)
Deferred financing fees paid	(5,797)	(1,002)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	179	195
Redemption of preferred shares	0	(80,030)
Impact of stock option exercises, net	(485)	966
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(3,232)	(3,070)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(120,856)	(119,164)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	51,409	(253,533)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	205	(536)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	10,382	2,526
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	14,625	11,776
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	25,007	14,302
Entertainment Properties Trust (Issuer) [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	2,026	2,060
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	12,663	12,558
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	(20,457)	(13,163)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(5,768)	1,455
Net cash provided by operating activities	(5,768)	1,455
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	0	0
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(309)	(573)
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,131)	(2,048)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	0	0
Investment in direct financing lease, net		0
Proceeds from Sale of Lease Receivables	0
Additions to properties under development	0	0
Investment in intercompany notes payable	(1,756)	128,657
Advances to subsidiaries, net	(434,967)	72,380
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(438,163)	198,416
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	(438,163)	198,416
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	590,000	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	0	0
Deferred financing fees paid	(5,769)	(391)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	179	195
Redemption of preferred shares		(80,030)
Impact of stock option exercises, net	(485)	966
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(3,232)	(3,070)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(120,856)	(119,164)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	459,837	(201,494)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	15,906	(1,623)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	1,932	3,356
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	17,838	1,733
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	116,265	102,527
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	116,265	102,527
Net cash provided by operating activities	117,315	105,995
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	1,050	3,468
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(40,338)	(40,744)
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(51,588)	(9,390)
Investment in direct financing lease, net		(2,118)
Proceeds from Sale of Lease Receivables	4,494
Additions to properties under development	(80,122)	(40,550)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	0	(132,067)
Advances to subsidiaries, net	445,805	(133,508)
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	278,251	(358,377)
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	278,533	(152,499)
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	208,000	328,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(604,347)	(281,678)
Deferred financing fees paid	0	(606)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	0	0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	0	0
Dividends paid to shareholders	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(396,347)	45,716
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(3)	(24)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(502)	(812)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	1,141	1,713
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	639	901
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Intercompany fee income (expense)	(2,026)	(2,060)
Interest income (expense) on intercompany receivable/payable	(12,663)	(12,558)
Net cash provided (used) by other operating activities	47,611	42,875
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	32,922	28,257
Net cash provided by operating activities	33,856	28,001
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	934	(256)
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(1,447)	(5,110)
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		1,700
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	(1,197)
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(20,320)	0
Investment in direct financing lease, net		0
Proceeds from Sale of Lease Receivables	0
Additions to properties under development	(8,843)	(3,680)
Investment in intercompany notes payable	1,756	3,410
Advances to subsidiaries, net	(10,838)	61,128
Net cash used by investing activities of continuing operations	(39,692)	56,251
Net cash used by other investing activities of discontinued operations		0
Net proceeds from sale of real estate from discontinued operations	12,687	18,976
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(27,005)	75,227
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	0	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	(12,053)	(97,750)
Deferred financing fees paid	(28)	(5)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0
Impact of stock option exercises, net	0	0
Purchase of common shares for treasury	0	0
Dividends paid to shareholders	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(12,081)	(97,755)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	208	(512)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(5,022)	4,961
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	11,552	6,707
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	$ 6,530	$ 11,668