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Equity Earnings of Unconsolidated Affiliates, Net of Tax and Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Oct. 31, 2014 Affiliates | Oct. 31, 2013 | Oct. 31, 2012
Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] |  |  |
Number of affiliates in which company has equity interest | 2 gef_NumberOfAffiliatesInWhichCompanyHasEquityInterest |  |
Equity earnings of affiliates | $ 1,900,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | $ 2,900,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | $ 1,300,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Dividends received from company's equity method affiliates | 200,000 us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentDividendsOrDistributions | 300,000 us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentDividendsOrDistributions |
Principal balance of loan made to an entity deemed VIE | 22,200,000 gef_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesBalanceOriginalPrincipalAmount |  |
Outstanding amount of loan | 0 us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesBalancePrincipalAmount |  |
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests | $ 46,600,000 us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest | $ (2,800,000)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest | $ (5,500,000)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest

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- Definition Investments in and advances to affiliates balance original principal amount. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of affiliates in which company has equity interest. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This item represents disclosure of the amount of dividends or other distributions received from unconsolidated subsidiaries, certain corporate joint ventures, and certain noncontrolled corporation; these investments are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This element excludes distributions that constitute a return of investment, which are classified as investing activities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 13 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 9 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755396&loc=d3e33749-111570 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 11 -Article 7 + Details
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- Definition Amount of principal loans outstanding to affiliates for management investment companies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34726532&loc=d3e611322-123010 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 14 -Paragraph Column B -Article 12 + Details
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- Definition Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4J -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591551-111686 + Details
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