Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 segment	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Operating Segments										4
Total assets	$ 3,272,276,000				$ 2,946,730,000					$ 3,272,276,000	$ 2,946,730,000
Rental revenue										248,709,000	234,517,000	219,733,000
Tenant reimbursements										18,401,000	18,575,000	17,965,000
Other income										1,682,000	738,000	374,000
Mortgage and other financing income										74,272,000	63,977,000	55,564,000
Total revenue	89,352,000	87,841,000	82,973,000	82,898,000	82,451,000	81,542,000	77,511,000	76,303,000		343,064,000	317,807,000	293,636,000
Property operating expense										26,016,000	24,915,000	24,204,000
Other expense										658,000	1,382,000	1,613,000
Investment Income, Investment Expense										26,674,000	26,297,000	25,817,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										316,390,000	291,510,000	267,819,000
General and Administrative Expense										(25,613,000)	(23,170,000)	(20,173,000)
Write off of Deferred Debt Issuance Cost										(6,166,000)	(627,000)	(1,877,000)
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt										4,539,000	0	0
Interest Expense										(81,056,000)	(76,656,000)	(71,295,000)
Transaction costs										(1,955,000)	(404,000)	(1,727,000)
Asset Impairment Charges										0	(3,074,000)	(2,531,000)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction										(53,946,000)	(46,698,000)	(42,975,000)
Equity in income from joint ventures										1,398,000	1,025,000	2,847,000
Gain on sale or acquisition, net								282,000	1,200,000	3,017,000	0	0
Gain on previously held equity interest										4,853,000	0	0
Income tax benefit										14,176,000	0	0
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation During Phase-out Period, Net of Tax										333,000	620,000	3,279,000
Impairment of Real Estate										0	(20,835,000)	(33,525,000)
Costs associated with loan refinancing or payoff										0	0	(4,121,000)
Gain (loss) on sale or acquisition of real estate										4,256,000	(27,000)	19,545,000
Net income	63,042,000	43,502,000	32,476,000	41,206,000	29,281,000	34,175,000	36,818,000	21,390,000		180,226,000	121,664,000	115,266,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										0	(108,000)	(38,000)
Dividends, Preferred Stock										(23,806,000)	(24,508,000)	(28,140,000)
Preferred Share Redemption Costs										0	(3,888,000)	(2,769,000)
Net income available to common shareholders of EPR Properties										156,420,000	93,160,000	84,319,000
Entertainment Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	1,874,014,000				1,818,712,000					1,874,014,000	1,818,712,000
Rental revenue										221,024,000	221,020,000	215,576,000
Tenant reimbursements										18,401,000	18,575,000	17,965,000
Other income										80,000	98,000	120,000
Mortgage and other financing income										8,447,000	4,308,000	323,000
Total revenue										247,952,000	244,001,000	233,984,000
Property operating expense										25,521,000	24,008,000	23,541,000
Other expense										0	4,000	21,000
Investment Income, Investment Expense										25,521,000	24,012,000	23,562,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										222,431,000	219,989,000	210,422,000
Education Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	542,052,000				376,048,000					542,052,000	376,048,000
Rental revenue										15,931,000	8,663,000	1,638,000
Tenant reimbursements										0	0	0
Other income										0	0	0
Mortgage and other financing income										33,275,000	30,130,000	28,465,000
Total revenue										49,206,000	38,793,000	30,103,000
Property operating expense										0	0	0
Other expense										0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense										0	0	0
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										49,206,000	38,793,000	30,103,000
Recreation Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	553,019,000				427,977,000					553,019,000	427,977,000
Rental revenue										10,124,000	3,615,000	1,274,000
Tenant reimbursements										0	0	0
Other income										0	0	0
Mortgage and other financing income										32,232,000	29,440,000	26,576,000
Total revenue										42,356,000	33,055,000	27,850,000
Property operating expense										0	0	0
Other expense										0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense										0	0	0
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										42,356,000	33,055,000	27,850,000
Other Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	210,064,000				252,444,000					210,064,000	252,444,000
Rental revenue										1,630,000	1,219,000	1,245,000
Tenant reimbursements										0	0	0
Other income										1,471,000	639,000	253,000
Mortgage and other financing income										318,000	99,000	107,000
Total revenue										3,419,000	1,957,000	1,605,000
Property operating expense										495,000	907,000	663,000
Other expense										658,000	739,000	750,000
Investment Income, Investment Expense										1,153,000	1,646,000	1,413,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										2,266,000	311,000	192,000
Corporate Unallocated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	93,127,000				71,549,000					93,127,000	71,549,000
Rental revenue										0	0	0
Tenant reimbursements										0	0	0
Other income										131,000	1,000	1,000
Mortgage and other financing income										0	0	93,000
Total revenue										131,000	1,000	94,000
Property operating expense										0	0	0
Other expense										0	639,000	842,000
Investment Income, Investment Expense										0	639,000	842,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										$ 131,000	$ (638,000)	$ (748,000)