Label	Element	Value
Risk Return [Abstract]	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
ProspectusDate	rr_ProspectusDate	May 01, 2012
Appreciation Portfolio (Prospectus Summary) | Appreciation Portfolio
Risk Return [Abstract]	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return, Heading	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Investment Objective, Heading	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
investment Objective, Primary	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The fund seeks long-term capital growth consistent with the preservation of capital.
Investment Objective, Secondary	rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock	Its secondary goal is current income.
Expense, Heading	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense, Narrative	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. These figures do not reflect any fees or charges imposed by participating insurance companies under their Variable Annuity contracts (VA contracts) or Variable Life Insurance policies (VLI policies).
Operating Expenses, Caption	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover, Heading	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 4.24% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	4.24%
Expense Example, Heading	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example, Narrative	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The Example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses incurred under VA contracts and VLI policies; if they were reflected, the figures in the Example would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Investment Strategy, Heading	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategy
Investment Strategy, Narrative	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	To pursue its goals, the fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in common stocks. The fund focuses on "blue chip" companies with total market capitalizations of more than $5 billion at the time of purchase, including multinational companies. These are established companies that have demonstrated sustained patterns of profitability, strong balance sheets, an expanding global presence and the potential to achieve predictable, above-average earnings growth. Multinational companies may be subject to certain of the risks involved in investing in foreign securities. In choosing stocks, the fund's portfolio managers first identify economic sectors they believe will expand over the next three to five years or longer. Using fundamental analysis, the fund's portfolio managers then seek companies within these sectors that have proven track records and dominant positions in their industries. The fund also may invest in companies which the portfolio managers consider undervalued in terms of earnings, assets or growth prospects.    The fund employs a "buy-and-hold" investment strategy, which generally has resulted in an annual portfolio turnover of below 15%. A low portfolio turnover rate helps reduce the fund's trading costs and minimizes tax liability by limiting the distribution of capital gains.
Risk, Heading	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk, Narrative	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money. o Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general weakness in the stock market or because of factors that affect the company or its particular industry. o Blue chip risk. By focusing on large capitalization, high quality stocks, the fund may underperform funds that invest in the stocks of lower quality, smaller capitalization companies during periods when the stocks of such companies are in favor. o Market sector risk. The fund may significantly overweight or underweight certain companies, industries or market sectors, which may cause the fund's performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those companies, industries or sectors. o Foreign investment risk. The fund's performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting investments in foreign issuers. Special risks associated with investments in foreign issuers include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political and economic instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
Risk, Lose Money	rr_RiskLoseMoney	The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.
Risk, Not Insured Depository Institution	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table, Heading	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance, Narrative	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The table compares the average annual total returns of the fund's shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The fund's past performance is no guarantee of future results. More recent performance information may be available at www.dreyfus.com. Performance information reflects the fund's expenses only and does not reflect the fees and charges imposed by participating insurance companies under their VA contracts or VLI policies. Because these fees and charges will reduce total return, policyowners should consider them when evaluating and comparing the fund's performance. Policyowners should consult the prospectus for their contract or policy for more information.
Performance, Information Illustrates Variability of Returns	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund.
Performance, Availability Website Address	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.dreyfus.com
Performance, Past Does Not Indicate Future	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The fund's past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Bar Chart, Heading	rr_BarChartHeading	Year-by-Year Total Returns as of 12/31 each year (%) -- Initial Shares
Bar Chart, Narrative	rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the fund's Initial shares from year to year.
Bar Chart, Closing	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter               Q2, 2003: 13.44%           Worst Quarter              Q4, 2008: -16.92%
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes	rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes	reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes
Average Annual Returns, Caption	rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption	Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/11)
Appreciation Portfolio (Prospectus Summary) | Appreciation Portfolio | S&P 500® Index
Risk Return [Abstract]	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Average Annual Returns, Label	rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel	S&P 500® Index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	2.09%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(0.25%)
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.92%
Appreciation Portfolio (Prospectus Summary) | Appreciation Portfolio | Initial Shares
Risk Return [Abstract]	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Management fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.75%
Distribution and/or service (Rule 12b-1) fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.05%
Total annual fund operating expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.80%
Expense Example, With Redemption, 1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	82
Expense Example, With Redemption, 3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	255
Expense Example, With Redemption, 5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	444
Expense Example, With Redemption, 10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	990
Annual Return 2002	rr_AnnualReturn2002	(16.71%)
Annual Return 2003	rr_AnnualReturn2003	21.17%
Annual Return 2004	rr_AnnualReturn2004	5.05%
Annual Return 2005	rr_AnnualReturn2005	4.38%
Annual Return 2006	rr_AnnualReturn2006	16.48%
Annual Return 2007	rr_AnnualReturn2007	7.14%
Annual Return 2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(29.55%)
Annual Return 2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	22.56%
Annual Return 2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	15.32%
Annual Return 2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	9.01%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2003
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	13.44%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(16.92%)
Average Annual Returns, Label	rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel	Initial Shares
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	9.01%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	3.06%
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	4.13%
Appreciation Portfolio (Prospectus Summary) | Appreciation Portfolio | Service Shares
Risk Return [Abstract]	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Management fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.75%
Distribution and/or service (Rule 12b-1) fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.05%
Total annual fund operating expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.05%
Expense Example, With Redemption, 1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	107
Expense Example, With Redemption, 3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	334
Expense Example, With Redemption, 5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	579
Expense Example, With Redemption, 10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,283
Average Annual Returns, Label	rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel	Service Shares
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	8.74%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	2.80%
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.87%