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SENIOR NOTES PAYABLE AND OTHER DEBT - Summary of Senior Notes Payables and Other Debt (Details) $ in Thousands, $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 CAD ($)	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Debt instruments
Commercial paper	$ 305,000						$ 0
Deferred financing costs, net	(80,556)						(69,615)
Unamortized fair value adjustment	21,103						(1,163)
Unamortized discounts	(27,783)						(25,225)
Long-term debt and short-term borrowings, gross	12,140,420						10,829,702
Senior notes payable and other debt	12,053,184						10,733,699
Unsecured revolving credit facility (1) \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt instruments
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	983,788						765,919
Unsecured revolving credit facility (1) \| Revolving Credit Facility \| Borrowings Originally Denominated in CAD
Debt instruments
Mortgage loans and other	702,800						23,100
Unsecured revolving credit facility (1) \| Revolving Credit Facility \| Borrowings Originally Denominated in GBP
Debt instruments
Mortgage loans and other	25,900						27,800
Secured revolving construction credit facility due 2022 \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt instruments
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	143,108						90,488
3.00% Senior Notes, Series A due 2019
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 0						293,319
Interest rate	3.00%	3.00%
2.70% Senior Notes due 2020
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 0						500,000
Interest rate	2.70%	2.70%	2.70%	2.70%
4.25% Senior Notes due 2022
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 0						600,000
Interest rate	4.25%	4.25%	4.25%
3.25% Senior Notes due 2022
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 500,000						500,000
Interest rate	3.25%	3.25%
3.30% Senior Notes, Series C due 2022
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 188,836						183,325
Interest rate	3.30%	3.30%
Unsecured Term Loan Due 2023
Debt instruments
Unsecured term loan	$ 200,000						300,000
3.125% Senior Notes due 2023
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 400,000						400,000
Interest rate	3.125%	3.125%
3.10% Senior Notes due 2023
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 400,000						400,000
Interest rate	3.10%	3.10%
2.55% Senior Notes, Series D due 2023
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 207,720						201,657
Interest rate	2.55%	2.55%
Unsecured Term Loan due 2024
Debt instruments
Unsecured term loan	$ 0						600,000
3.50% Senior Notes due 2024
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 400,000				$ 400,000		0
Interest rate	3.50%	3.50%			3.50%
3.75% Senior Notes due 2024
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 400,000						400,000
Interest rate	3.75%	3.75%
4.125% Senior Notes, Series B due 2024
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 188,836						183,324
Interest rate	4.125%	4.125%
Unsecured Term Loan due 2025
Debt instruments
Unsecured term loan	$ 377,672	$ 500					0
3.50% Senior Notes due 2025
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 600,000						600,000
Interest rate	3.50%	3.50%
2.65% Senior Notes due 2025
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 450,000			$ 450,000			0
Interest rate	2.65%	2.65%		2.65%
4.125% Senior Notes due 2026
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 500,000						500,000
Interest rate	4.125%	4.125%
3.25% Senior Notes due 2026
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 450,000						450,000
Interest rate	3.25%	3.25%
3.85% Senior Notes Due 2027
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 400,000						400,000
Interest rate	3.85%	3.85%
4.00% Senior Notes due 2028
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 650,000						650,000
Interest rate	4.00%	4.00%
4.40% Senior Notes due 2029
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 750,000						750,000
Interest rate	4.40%	4.40%
3.00% Senior Notes due 2030
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 650,000		$ 650,000				0
Interest rate	3.00%	3.00%	3.00%
6.90% Senior Notes due 2037
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 52,400						52,400
Interest rate	6.90%	6.90%
6.59% Senior Notes due 2038
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 22,823						22,823
Interest rate	6.59%	6.59%
5.45% Senior Notes due 2043
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 0						258,750
Interest rate	5.45%	5.45%				5.45%
5.70% Senior Notes due 2043
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 300,000						300,000
Interest rate	5.70%	5.70%
4.375% Senior Notes due 2045
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 300,000						300,000
Interest rate	4.375%	4.375%
4.875% Senior Notes due 2049
Debt instruments
Senior notes	$ 300,000				$ 300,000		0
Interest rate	4.875%	4.875%			4.875%
Mortgages Loans and Other
Debt instruments
Mortgage loans and other	$ 2,020,237						$ 1,127,697