Is it as crowded as last year
 

Is it just me or is it not quite as crowded as last year. We have had no trouble getting a table or having to wait in line.

We noticed the same thing. Third winter here, and there definitely seems to be more room in the restaurants. Maybe they're all stuck in the snow up north and can't get out!

Depends on where you are. We live way north in Calumet Grove and it ha been about the same for the nine years we hasve been here. With the development of Brownwood much of pressure has been taken off the Lake Sumter Area, and the crowds seemed to have been disbursed more evenly. No matter where you decide to live if it is warm in the winter and amenities abound there will be seasonal snowbirds flocking. For me, a year round resident, the season runs from May-December. I thank the 4 monthers for their influx of cash to support our fine amenities so these establishments can operate during the financially thin 8 months that I get the small crowds and summer special pricing.

been on 27 lately.....?

27 carries more than just Villager traffic.................

My summary is more traffic and more people but more restaurants to handle them.

Last year the polar north sat at 50 below for six month.
Even I am here.
I was surprised to read sales were down from last year,

I think that is caused by the highly publicized "sex on the square" and the highly publicized picture of the sinkhole....which by the way is repaired and has not further sunk.

In todays world the sex news would help sells.
Unless it were a photo of me.

Have you tried to get a decent tee time lately?? Seems like more people playing golf.

Right on Gracie my thoughts also!! As they say great minds!!!

Try driving Morse Blvd and see what you think!

The likely problem there is this red neck this year.

I live off Morse Blvd in De La Vista West between 466 and Spanish Springs.Making a left turn on Morse is very difficult due to the traffic.This year even making a right turn onto Morse is often difficult.Many times I have seen traffic backed up at the light at 466 all the way back to San Marino.A big part of the problem is the north bound traffic at this intersection gets the green light a full six to eight seconds longer than those proceeding south through the intersection.Of course some people here who love to attack the poster will say what's your hurry.Please don't bother.I seldom post anymore because of this practice.

Try to let it fall off ya, kiddo. There will always be anonymous snipers on here. But there are people who listen too.

I think there is a LOT of traffic this year, the most ever in eight years for us.

What is decent?

I went to Mallory last night at 5:15pm and there was a 45 min wait. Perhaps because it was Valentine's Day. I worry when they build those Villages in Fruitland Park. I am afraid there will be a lot more people in The Villages and there won't be the infrastructure to support it. The town squares and Rec. centers will become more crowded.

//////////

Something decent would be after 7:20am and 5:20pm!!!

Opps, and before 5:20pm,,

People have been worrying the same for all of the years I have been reading this forum.

AND it always works out. The developers are the smartest bunch of folks.

AND they are from Michigan. Imagine that!

Go Bucks.

DH and I worry too. Hubby has been saying the last couple of years that this place is getting too large. Publix in Colony is going to be inundated once again when the Fruitland Park folks begin shopping there.

I surely hope Fruitland Park is the end of the building here. The major roads are going to become a crawl during the height of the season.

Graciegirl -- You make an excellent point. The fact they are from Michigan gives me hope. :-)

I was thinking the same thing!

I'm not sure there will be enough execs to go around. The golfers that I met that were here 4 years ago say it was different.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I doubt...seriously...that Fruitland Park will be the last of it. But it will all work out. Congestion here is still nothing compared to many other areas. And I don't think it will get significantly worse in our lifetimes. :)

Really, I guess it must be easier for someone playing golf as a single. Hubby has been playing 6 days a week since we got here. 5 execs and one country club round every week always between 8 and 8:45 three times all by himself when he played the country club courses.

I think it is much worse this year. We must not be going to the same places to eat. Always have to wait at Bob Evans now at 5pm. Went to Oakwood Grill last Wed at 5pm after Mom's hair appt and there was a 55 minute wait!!! Drove down to Leesburg instead. Long wait at Carrabba's. We never eat at the Country Clubs--bad food and too expensive; no salad with meal; too noisy. Can hardly wait until May. Nothing against snowbirds, this place is just too big now.

When our home was built in 2004 the population was 35,00.
Buena Vista was only open from 466 south to the second traffic circle. Morse did not go to the bridge going South.

Lake Sumter Landing was under construction but not much know about what it was going to be.

Ten years later three times bigger! I won't even attempt to list the retail and restaurants that were not here.

Yes. Bigger. Much, MUCH better.
Said another way we were happy to be here back then......no knowledge of what was to come. Much happier with what TV has become.

The slow season of today is significantly more populated than the busy season of not so many years ago.

Yes TV has evolved to handle the growth.
It may be approaching build out (again), but the commercial and other developments will continue.

you might not worry about it, but it is a worry when you have trouble turning into and out of your neighborhood-whether it is on a golf cart or in a car. It is a worry when you are the 14th golf cart on the MMpath, and you can't hardly make a turn onto ST Charles. etc, etc... I think the new restaurants have helped some, but the more popular places still have 1 hr waits. And, I agree that congestion here is not as bad as many places, but that is one of the reasons a lot of people moved here--to get away from congestion. And I think it has already gotten significantly worse in the past 4 years.

Just my opinion, but I think there will be more openings of stores, esp. grocery stores, to handle the new residents. Already Pinrllas has taken strain off of Colony, and more of that is supposedly coming to handle FP.

I can handle three months of left-turn hassle for the ease and joy of living here year-round. I do miss having Lake Michigan in my backyard, but not the winter that goes with it, nor the three days' drive twice a year for the three short months of summer up there.

There are basically two types of people responding to issues pertaining to The Villages "defenders" and "realists" If your in the latter group be prepared to be taken to task.

You will also find posters who want to make comparisons such as its more crowded in........ but they forget the discussion isn't about .....its about conditions in The Villages

Posters keep repeating that The villages of Lake Sumter, Inc are pretty smart but other posters make solid suggestions of many flaws in governance and infrastructure, etc

Pick your poison.

Well we must just be lucky we went to Ricciardi’s at 5 pm. Went to VKI Japanese at 6, Sakura at 5:30 and have stopped in at Jonny rockets for shakes a few times and we haven't had to wait. Bonifay for breakfast buffet was full but not nuts. Last year we had a 20 to 30 min wait everywhere. The traffic does seem bad still as well of course the drivers are still clueless.
We are not eating out as often this year so maybe it is perception.

Three days drive to Michigan? Thought you didn't have a golf cart?

Ha ha! No, just a couple of squirrelly backs.:grumpy:

January seemed to be the same as in years past, but we eat late.

Excellent post!!! :BigApplause:

I don't find this year to be more or less crowded than other years. The traffic seems to be the same. Restaurant dinner time must be planned accordingly, if one doesn't want to wait........ or one could stay home and avoid all congestion, until April.........IMHO

Why would there be less traffic and people? They are building homes at a rate of under 50 days per home and they are selling like hotcakes. The area south of 466A extending to Fruitland Park and south to 44 is huge and will only add many thousands to the mix. New restaurants and shopping won't lessen the traffic on the road, only waiting times in those restaurants, etc.
During the snowbird season I try to avoid driving thru TV as much as possible and will take 301 or Rolling Acres Road and Micro Race Track around the outside to avoid the traffic.

Everybody's situation is different of course, but if I tried to go "around the outside" of TV, I would take twice as long to get anywhere.

I must go to the right places at the right time, because I rarely (if ever) run into enough traffic to even think about taking an alternate route.

And there are some who are depressed and things don't EVER look positive. NOTHING. NO one. Some are down on Christmas. Some dislike dogs. Some just aren't happy but may not know they aren't happy. There is a high amount of depression in the older population and it isn't a character weakness. It is a chemical imbalance that sometimes comes with aging.

I am a defender. I freely came here and love it here. AND I think I am a realist too.