We visited The Villages twice, then buckled down and decided to really research 55+ communities in mid-Florida. We figured we could easily find something "like" The Villages, only scaled down and possibly less expensive. We boiled it down to about a dozen candidates (including The Villages), then drove down (we lived in North Carolina at the time) and visited them all. At each place we checked off items we were looking for on our prepared checklist plus made comments about things we liked and didn't like about each. On the drive home, we decided there isn't anyplace like The Villages and decided to buy a house we had looked at during the visit here.
I think everybody who has moved here since the first big initial expansion has worried about how the rapid growth is out of control, can't be handled and will change the lifestyle. And everybody who moves here wonders what the previous people were worrying about. We've been here a bit over 2 years and find ourselves saying, "Whoa, they need to slow down!" And then we drive down south into the newest sections and realize that they've done a great job there, too. I know people who are talking about moving from our section (which itself was brand new 4 years ago) further south into the newest areas. And I know people already there who are loving it.
As far as the other communities, we met a few folks at some that said they preferred the peace and quiet of their communities over the "zillion things to do" in The Villages. To each their own. We're still healthy enough to really enjoy an active (and they do mean ACTIVE in The Villages!). Give us another 15 years and we'll be 80 and maybe we'll find their kind of community "peaceful". Right now it strikes us as "boring". No place, including The Villages, is right for everybody. But for now, it's absolutely right for us.
Good luck on your research, your search and your eventual decision!
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