Employee Stock Ownership Feature of 401Plan - Employee Stock Ownership Plan (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Amounts paid by ESOP for:
Debt repayment	$ 44	$ 1,280
Interest		1
Amounts received from Viad as:
Contributions	$ 44	1,202
Dividends		$ 79

This item represents the amount of cash contributions during the period made by the entity to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6418621&loc=d3e17540-113929

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCashContributionsToESOP
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash provided by the employer through contributions or dividends that the ESOP used in the period to repay debt and interest on a third-party loan made directly to the ESOP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 40
-Section 25
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6418455&loc=d3e16545-113920

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Dividends paid on stock held by an employee stock ownership plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPDividendsPaidToESOP
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

An entity often discloses the amount of interest paid by the ESOP to a lender.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 40
-Section 25
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6418455&loc=d3e16545-113920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPInterestPaymentsFromESOP
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPSharesInESOPAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GrandfatheredESOPExpenseRecognitionAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration