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Equity Oriented or Fixed Income Oriented Funds | The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return, Heading rr_RiskReturnHeading

The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio
Investment Objective, Heading rr_ObjectiveHeading

What is the Portfolio's investment objective?
Investment Objective, Primary rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio seeks capital appreciation.
Expense, Heading rr_ExpenseHeading

What are the Portfolio's fees and expenses?
Expense, Narrative rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio.
Operating Expenses, Caption rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual portfolio operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination
Feb. 28, 2017
Portfolio Turnover, Heading rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio's portfolio turnover rate was 49% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 49.00%
Expense Example, Heading rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example
Expense Example, Narrative rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the Manager's expense waivers and reimbursements for the 1-year contractual period and the total operating expenses without waivers for years 2 through 10. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Investment Strategy, Heading rr_StrategyHeading

What are the Portfolio's principal investment strategies?
Investment Strategy, Narrative rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Portfolio invests primarily in common stocks of growth-oriented companies that the portfolio managers believe have long-term capital appreciation potential and expect to grow faster than the U.S. economy. For purposes of the Portfolio, the portfolio managers will generally consider large-capitalization companies to be those that, at the time of purchase, have total market capitalizations within the range of market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 1000® Growth Index. While the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 1000 Growth Index ranged from approximately $717.61 million to approximately $583.6 billion as of Dec. 31, 2015, the Portfolio will normally invest in common stocks of companies with market capitalizations of at least $3 billion at the time of purchase. The market capitalization range for the Russell 1000 Growth Index will change on a periodic basis. A company's market capitalization is determined based on its current market capitalization. Russell Investment Group is the source and owner of the trademarks, service marks, and copyrights related to the Russell Indexes. Russell is a trademark of the Russell Investment Group.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of large-capitalization companies (80% Policy). The Portfolio's 80% Policy may be changed without shareholder approval. However, shareholders will be given notice at least 60 days prior to any such change.

Using a bottom-up approach, the portfolio managers seek to select securities of companies that have large market opportunities. Companies that have large market opportunities are those that, in our opinion, may have a large demand or market for their goods or services. The portfolio managers also consider a company's operational efficiencies, management's plans for capital allocation, and the company's shareholder orientation. All of these factors give the portfolio managers insight into the outlook for a company, helping the portfolio managers identify companies poised for sustainable free cash-flow growth. The portfolio managers believe that sustainable free cash-flow growth, if it occurs, may result in price appreciation for the company's stock.

Although the Portfolio tends to hold a relatively focused portfolio of between 25 and 40 stocks, it maintains a diversified portfolio representing a number of different industries. Such an approach helps to minimize the impact that any one security or industry could have on the portfolio if it were to experience a period of slow or declining earnings growth.

Because the Portfolio's objective is capital appreciation, the amount of dividend income that a stock provides is only an incidental consideration.

The Portfolio may also invest in other securities, including preferred stock, real estate investment trusts (REITs), warrants, equity and debt securities that are convertible into stocks, debt securities of government and corporate issuers and investment company securities, futures, and options. To the extent that this Portfolio invests in convertible debt securities, those securities will be purchased on the basis of their equity characteristics, and ratings of those securities, if any, will not be an important factor in their selection.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration
Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of large-capitalization companies (80% Policy). The Portfolio's 80% Policy may be changed without shareholder approval. However, shareholders will be given notice at least 60 days prior to any such change.
Risk, Heading rr_RiskHeading

What are the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio?
Risk, Narrative rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Portfolio will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in its portfolio. Principal risks include:

Risk Definition

Market risk

The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market — such as the stock or bond market — will decline in value because of factors such as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, investor confidence, or heavy institutional selling.

Foreign risk

The risk that foreign securities (particularly in emerging markets) may be adversely affected by political instability; changes in currency exchange rates; inefficient markets and higher transaction costs; foreign economic conditions; the imposition of economic or trade sanctions; or inadequate or different regulatory and accounting standards.

Real estate industry risk

This risk includes, among others, possible declines in the value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage funds; overbuilding; extended vacancies of properties; increases in competition, property taxes, and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws; costs resulting from the cleanup of, and liability to third parties resulting from, environmental problems; casualty for condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods, earthquakes, or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents; and changes in interest rates.

Futures and options risk

The possibility that a portfolio may experience a loss if it employs an options or futures strategy related to a security or a market index and that security or index moves in the opposite direction from what the manager anticipated. Futures and options also involve additional expenses, which could reduce any benefit or increase any loss that a portfolio gains from using the strategy.

Derivatives risk

Derivatives contracts, such as options, futures, and swaps, may involve additional expenses (such as the payment of premiums) and are subject to significant loss if a security or a securities index to which a derivatives contract is associated moves in the opposite direction from what the portfolio manager anticipated. Derivatives contracts are also subject to the risk that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the contract due to financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization).

Credit risk

The risk that an issuer of a debt security, including a governmental issuer, or an entity that insures a bond may be unable to make interest payments and repay principal in a timely manner.

Liquidity risk

The possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which a portfolio has valued them.

Investments not guaranteed by
Delaware Management Company
(Manager) or its affiliates

Neither the Manager nor its affiliates noted in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL). MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise.

Risk, Lose Money rr_RiskLoseMoney
Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest.
Risk, Not Insured Depository Institution rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution
Neither the Manager nor its affiliates noted in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL). MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise.
Bar Chart and Performance Table, Heading rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

How has The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio performed?
Performance, Narrative rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual total returns for the 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Portfolio's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. The returns reflect any expense caps in effect during these periods. The returns would be lower without the expense caps. You may obtain the Portfolio's most recently available month-end performance by calling 800 231-8002 or by visiting our website at delawareinvestments.com/institutional.
Performance, Information Illustrates Variability of Returns rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in the Portfolio's performance from year to year and by showing how the Portfolio's average annual total returns for the 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone
800 231-8002
Performance Availability Website Address rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress
delawareinvestments.com/institutional
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture
The Portfolio's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future.
Bar Chart, Heading rr_BarChartHeading

Year-by-year total return (The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio)
Bar Chart, Closing rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

During the periods illustrated in this bar chart, The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio's highest quarterly return was 16.08% for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and its lowest quarterly return was -22.25% for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2008.
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel
highest quarterly return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 16.08%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel
lowest quarterly return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (22.25%)
Performance Table, Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2015
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate
The after-tax returns shown are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the Portfolio's lifetime and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred
After-tax returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).
Performance Table, Closing rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Russell Investment Group is the source and owner of the trademarks, service marks, and copyrights related to the Russell Indexes. Russell is a trademark of the Russell Investment Group.
Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's individual tax situation and may differ from the returns shown. After-tax returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The after-tax returns shown are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the Portfolio's lifetime and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Equity Oriented or Fixed Income Oriented Funds | The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio | Russell 1000® Growth Index  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.67%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 13.53%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 8.53%
Equity Oriented or Fixed Income Oriented Funds | The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio | DPT CLASS  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.55%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.09%
Total annual portfolio operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.64%
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets none [1]
Total annual portfolio operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.64%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 65
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 205
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 357
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 798
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 2.30%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 12.95%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (43.22%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 43.14%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 14.14%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 8.04%
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 16.51%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 34.81%
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 12.76%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 5.19%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.19%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.02%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.99%
Equity Oriented or Fixed Income Oriented Funds | The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio | DPT CLASS | After Taxes on Distributions  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.55%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 13.68%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.33%
Equity Oriented or Fixed Income Oriented Funds | The Large-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio | DPT CLASS | After Taxes on Distributions and sale of Portfolio shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.91%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 12.09%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.51%
[1] The Portfolio's investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or pay/reimburse expenses (excluding any 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest, expenses, short sale and dividend interest expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and nonroutine expenses or costs, including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations, litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations) in order to prevent total annual portfolio operating expenses from exceeding 0.65% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets from Feb. 26, 2016 through Feb. 28, 2017. The waivers and reimbursements may only be terminated by agreement of the Manager and the Portfolio.