Employee Stock Plans - Activity Under Employee Stock Plans (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2015	Jul. 02, 2015
Number of Shares
Number of Shares, Options Outstanding	3,343
Number of Shares, Granted	634
Number of Shares, Cancelled or expired	(11)
Number of Shares, Exercised	(1,358)
Number of Shares, Options Outstanding	2,608
Number of Shares, Options Exercisable	1,567
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Options Outstanding	$ 60.53
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Granted	92.29
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Cancelled or expired	87.01
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Exercised	52.88
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Options Outstanding	72.12
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Options Exercisable	$ 61.74
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term, Option Outstanding	4 years 3 months 4 days
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term, Exercisable	3 years 15 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Option Outstanding	$ 39,963
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Exercisable	$ 37,892
Closing price of VMS common stock		$ 85.91