[champion6]

pooh, I'm pushing Fast Forward to get the TV ASAP. Hmmm, it doesn't seem to be working.

[Rag Bagger]

in The Bird Season. But honestly it's no big deal compared to nearly any other place I have lived.

Traffic is a piece of cake. There are lots of complaints about the rotaries but they are very good at moving traffic. If you have any doubt about how well they work just drive on Morse North of 466 where there are conventional intersections with traffic lights. They slow you down but even that isn't much. Golf carts reduce the congestion considerably. Just go to the squares at night and see how many carts are parked where one car would fit.

The weekends at resturaunts are more crowded than mid week. Hard to understand but all us retired people seem to make plans for weekends just like in the days when we worked. I don't get that...every night is Saturday night so just plan a Tuesday night out. Or better yet a Mid week Lunch. Still the wait usually isn't all that big a deal if you have to go out on the weekend.

My sister lives in Naples. Talk about crowds yikes. Other friends have settled in Ft. Meyers, Venice and Vero all way more crowded than here.

Of course this horendous crowd thing NOT goes away after The Bird Season next month.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

Sure, it's crowded in winter - but you adapt! You go out to eat during the week and host a dinner party or go to one on the weekends; you change your tee time for the winter; you go to a movie the week after it opens; join a few clubs - club meeting times don't often change; go out for lunch instead of dinner; and only wait in line for the 'must haves' - you can meet the nicest people in line!

We are moving to TV this June as permenant residents. Up here in NJ an hour or more wait at all popular resturants is expected. We avoid that by going at off hours. I guess it would be the same at TV. We have visited TV several times in the summer and never a line but I am aware of the winter crowd. We don't eat out much, especially after seeing Hell's Kitchen.

[golfnut]

imo, snowbirds pump enuf money into the economy in TV in the 4 - 5 months they are here to keep it going for the other 8 months of the year, thank heaven for the snowbirds....gn

[pooh]

Originally Posted by champion6

pooh, I'm pushing Fast Forward to get the TV ASAP. Hmmm, it doesn't seem to be working.

LOL....I'll help...pushing fast forward for you here at our end, too!

[rwcw]

Let me preface by telling you that our house is up for sale and we're moving to the Villages, ASAP.
The churches are crowded (especially the Catholic, even the one in Bellview) and the movies are crowded with lines you won't believe and it's difficult to find any free bowling lanes any time of he year. We were there over Mothers Day one year and spent half the day driving around looking for a restaurant where the wait was less than an hour, even driving down to Leesburg. During the season some of the pools have to turn people away due to maximum occupancy limits.
We were there this past Christmas and New Years and it was crowded every where we went.
Your Realtor was telling the truth in my opinion. There's a lot of adjustments that we'll have to make but we expect that they'll be off set by the nice new home we'll be getting, the activities we will be able to participate in and the people we'll be meeting. We're golfers.

[GatbTester]

You are more than correct Scrapple, why add to the problem?

[pooh]

Originally Posted by rwcw

Let me preface by telling you that our house is up for sale and we're moving to the Villages, ASAP.
The churches are crowded (especially the Catholic, even the one in Bellview) and the movies are crowded with lines you won't believe and it's difficult to find any free bowling lanes any time of he year. We were there over Mothers Day one year and spent half the day driving around looking for a restaurant where the wait was less than an hour, even driving down to Leesburg. During the season some of the pools have to turn people away due to maximum occupancy limits.
We were there this past Christmas and New Years and it was crowded every where we went.
Your Realtor was telling the truth in my opinion. There's a lot of adjustments that we'll have to make but we expect that they'll be off set by the nice new home we'll be getting, the activities we will be able to participate in and the people we'll be meeting. We're golfers.

Interesting....I've never had to wait at the movies, but then again, I don't go during the times the kids are on vacation or right when a new movie opens. I also tend to go to a very early showing when I go.

Coming from the Cape Cod area, then the San Francisco area and finally southern CA, These crowds seem small compared to the other areas I've lived in.

Restauants can be crowded during the "high" season, but they aren't crowded all day so we, us and our friends, just adjust when we'll eat. Prior to retiring, the weekends were when we and our friends would be out and about, now every day is the weekend. After 4 years of being retired, I'm still trying to realize and recognize that...

Churches are crowded? That's a good thing!

[ricthemic]

Originally Posted by rwcw

Let me preface by telling you that our house is up for sale and we're moving to the Villages, ASAP.
The churches are crowded (especially the Catholic, even the one in Bellview) and the movies are crowded with lines you won't believe and it's difficult to find any free bowling lanes any time of he year. We were there over Mothers Day one year and spent half the day driving around looking for a restaurant where the wait was less than an hour, even driving down to Leesburg. During the season some of the pools have to turn people away due to maximum occupancy limits.
We were there this past Christmas and New Years and it was crowded every where we went.
Your Realtor was telling the truth in my opinion. There's a lot of adjustments that we'll have to make but we expect that they'll be off set by the nice new home we'll be getting, the activities we will be able to participate in and the people we'll be meeting. We're golfers.

you are kidding right? mother's day is typically in mid may and you spent "half a day" driving around looking for a restaraunt and I love the "during the season" pools turning people away... would the season be january thru april when the weather is not really pool weather? wow so you are really moving here as soon as possible even though you hv to make all those adjustments... great preface...
I think your only adjustment is perhaps accepting the the fact that you bought a village want a be property near by cause you got so much more house for the money and now it is impossible to sell for half of what you paid for it. nice post though especially the part where "your realtor was telling the truth" classic, good one. I bought in tv eight months ago and i could not disagree with your post more and guess what I have no angle or agenda but then again i have not been here in mid may for mothers day when all the snow birds are gone .. have fun in leesburg next month.

[Russ_Boston]

I think we know when to ignore a post.

I went to a bowling alley in SS last May and we could almost hear the crickets

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by golfnut

imo, snowbirds pump enuf money into the economy in TV in the 4 - 5 months they are here to keep it going for the other 8 months of the year, thank heaven for the snowbirds....gn

You are so right, GN

[scrapple]

Originally Posted by pooh

Not sure how crowded it is where you live, but even though there are 75,000 residents, the community is set up in such a manner that it doesn't seem that congested. In the winter there is considerably more traffic, but it's not nearly as bad as where many people have moved from. I'm from southern CA and lived fairly close to one freeway. Talk about traffic! Waiting at a restaurant could happen in the winter and it does, but when you live here, you learn to adjust to more people and some of the waits.

Golf....if you are willing to put in a wide enough time range and a good number of courses, you shouldn't have difficulties getting out to play. Each Friday we have a group that varies in size from 12 up to 24 players. I think we've only been "shut out" once in a year. Hubby plays with groups on Thursday and Friday and they don't have trouble either. His groups are large, also.

A lot of people do love it here, there is so much to love. It might take some adjustment because the community is planned, set up with some pretty small lots, but the people are great, giving, friendly and enjoy all that the community and the surrounding areas have to offer. I'm not sure that your realtor really knows or understands what The Villages is like or about. You can do or not do so many things, some for recreation, some for emotional growth, some helpful for those who need someone to help. Only you can decide if this community is right for you.

Looks like I struck a nerve on that queston!

Thanks Pooh, your reply was rational and well thought out. So it gets busy during the winter? Gee who'da thunk it?
I appreciate the suggestions that you just need to adjust. Common sense prevails!

Thanks everyone
Dan

[nussbaum]

I have met a few people from the fringe (spruce creek, del web, stonecrest) and they always say "have you read leisureville?". Then they come to TV to eat, go to the movies and shop. a typical outsider's comments that they are better off where they are. maybe they should stay away from TV if it is so awful!

[tpop1]

Crowded - Yes.
Busy - Yes.
Do'able - Yes.

Was in Sarasota for 9 years with relatives in Naples and find T.V. no more busy than those places.

But...if you avoid the busiest times - Not an issue.

Avoid 9AM mass and Sat. PM at any church in Florida! - 7AM and Noon masses are not an issue. Also, my best bet is St. Vincent De Paul 5:45 PM mass on Sunday afternoon; meets my lifestyle and always has room.

Eat dinner a little later - Everyone wants dinner at 6PM! 8PM usually not an issue.

Golf early or late - Everyone wants a 9AM tee time! Also, less issue with Championship courses. Priority membership helps a lot!

Pools - Never found them to be an issue!

Be a contrarian! Do things when others are napping!!!:

Also you're in Florida; gotta have patience! Plenty of restaurant seats in New Haven (substitute your home town) in January!
_

[BobKat1]

tpop1, you hit it on the head. Florida is busy in the winter - Nearly everywhere! A fact of life that one has to accept if one wants to live in the state.