We are still about a year and a half from retirement, so we visit only occasionally. I have gone to our pool, two blocks away, several times by myself. The same couple has twice ignored my "hello," and gone inside to ask that the employee check my ID. It would have been more pleasant if they had engaged in some conversation and asked where I lived. They seemed disgruntled when I was not thrown out. My husband is the one who fell in love with TV. I've yet to figure out why.

Ignore the idiots. Mot people here are very friendly.

There are lots of things to do in TV Land for BOTH men and women. There are clubs for every type of interest. There are sports of ALL kinds. There are all types of group exercises available. One bad experience at a pool is the outlier not the normal experience at TV Land activities. Some pools DO have problems with non-residents using them and other TV Land facilities also. TV Landers need to carry their ID cards with them. I have often wished that I would be asked more often to prove that I live here. Pools can be particularly attractive to non-residents.

Not too many people go swimming with ball caps in

Not too many people swim with ball caps on

And always remember that the potato goes in the front.

That is the same situations for a great deal 55 community's . A lot said about the villages is smoke and mirrors. That is why you have to do your Due Diligence before you buy their

Keep going, after a while people will warm up to you. It works both ways...

Folks who are already established within their group might just prefer to be in that group, and not looking to branch out. So they're not being hostile toward you, more like they're being indifferent.

Most folks will be welcoming, but sometimes it takes you to approach them first. I don't go to the pool often enough to really get to know the regulars even though I've been living here more than 2 years already. Doesn't bother me - and if it did, I'd just start becoming a regular - and at that point I'll get all those hi's and hello's that one would expect when one sees a regular.

LEt me get this straight, you are new to the Villages, use bought a house. YOu have 3 posts.
You had no questions about who to cut your grass, what type of golf car to buy, what area to live in, how the bond works?

But you go to a Internet forum and ask how to make friends at the pool?

I don’t think the OP asked how to make friends, but for ideas on being acknowledged at the pool. Maybe already had a lawn company and it’s not that tough to buy a golf cart and hopefully he did do diligence on the bond. Not everyone buys here blind. But the pool question no one can research or due diligence, because you won’t know that until you step in the gate. Since you have started posting in 2010, maybe you have not had the bad experience at neighborhood pools

Maybe you live might be in a new area, or an area where the many homes have been sold, But if you move to an established area like we did, pool people can be very Territorial and sometimes just outright mean. For us we just go to a CC pool, no high school drama there. Even our adult children refuse to use the adult pool here, because of the issues.

Some established neighborhoods are not happy that houses have been sold and new people have moved in and they definitely don’t want the new people anywhere near THEIR POO! And can be very vocal. Since 07 we have run into territory pool issues at 2 neighborhood pools. It’s not a lot, however the experiences can be hard for a new person moving in.

I was going to tell you that TheLegges is just special and allowed to go wherever he/she wants but ! But there is a priority pool membership that allows one to go to the country club pools. I am not Village “upper crust” so I have no experience with those pools to share

Just a bit harsh?

Wow just because one has priority membership, ( starting 5/1 is called enhancement membership) does mean you are special, as your insulting post, or let’s just call it rude, comment. Since you don’t have any experience than, One can go to golf the Villages and read up on Enhancement membership.

Not sorry we planned our retirement to enjoy certain lifestyle that TV offers, been a Priority member since 2010. And have enjoyed every amenity that it offered. Now the enhancement membership starting in May 2022 may be a different story but that’s a year down the road for me.

Ask the employee to check their ID ..

Thong or Speedo?
 

A swimsuit thong or Speedo may be the great equalizer! lol

go to the pool with joy...instead of seeking joy. That will make a huge difference

Just hope Joy's husband doesn't find out!

He does not care he is already there with Sherry.

Depends on which agenda you like. If I don’t like it I just blow whistle.

Do they have contractor to do that job. If not…..

Don’t mean cucumber or carrot?

Exactly what I was thinking....I've owned for 4yrs now, still going back and forth up north...but let me just say this....this issue is absolutely ridiculous. Why would anyone care what a handful of old chatty,wrinkled women think, they need to get a life. Next if anyone asked an "official " to walk over to me specifically I would gladly show my id. But in return ask to see theirs. Not trying to start an issue here, but come on, at this age if you allow anyone to walk all over you like that, well honey, you are drowning in life and I don't mean in the deep end.
You walk thru that gate, you hold your head high and if anyone gives you grief, give me a tex, I love to swim. Lol

Our neighborhood pool is on the other end of the spectrum. People are so nice that a lot of residents from adjacent areas make it their regular pool.

There is a difference between keeping away from "strangers" in the pool and not being friendly. a smile or a nod or even eye contact will not infect anyone with anything except being human. this is of course my opinion and also the way i was raised but everyone has their own opinion as i can see. all i am talking about are the "pool people" who based on what i am reading in this post are the minority and not the norm. we will be going to our new pool maybe before "they" arrive or right in the middle of the "click". it will be fun especially now that we have decided to make it a game to see how many whispers we can get each day. :)

yes, only 3 posts. Figuring out the basics of living here is simple, figuring out the "clicks" and the "pool People" now thats worth seeing all of the opinions from the internet. thank you for pointing out the 3 posts though, im sure that matters to at least you. :) see you at the pool.

I’ve have the same experience at my neighborhood pool with people coming to ours because they’re more comfortable at it than their own.
But I must say it does take time to assimilate into a new group anywhere, not just at pools.
Plus you have to reach out, and not just once and give up after one negative experience.
Since I’ve lived here I can say a few of my good
friendships were developed by spending mutual pool time!
Nice if you have your own private pool, but I’d be missing out on getting to know people and their experiences from various parts of the country and even other countries!

The ONLY "membership" you can have for pools is for the Country Club pools. Those are not amenities of the Villages, they are amenities of the Country Clubs. I think you're confusing the OP (and others, apparently) by referring to it at all.

You can't be a priority member of any Villages amenity pool. You either are a resident who pays your monthly amenity fees and can use ANY neighborhood, regional, family, or sports pool in the entire Villages, or you're a visitor on a guest pass and accompanied by a resident, or a renter with a resident pass.

If you want to join the Country Club pool, that costs extra.

Three types of people you meet at the neighborhood pools.

The first is the "blue haired bobbers". These people, generally ladies, stand around in a circle gabbing with each other, gently bobbing up and down but not so rigorously as to mess up their hair.

The second is the "walkers". These are people, men and women alike, who walk back and forth across the pool unmindful of any others. They pay no attention to the bobbers (above) and are oblivious to the third group (below), the lappers, who cannot see ahead of themselves. There are often collisions between the walkers and the lappers. The walkers think it is the lappers fault. The lappers are speechless as to the obliviousness of the walkers.

The third is the "lappers". These are people, both men and women, who feel they are not quite as athletic as that needed to participate in the sports pools so they do their laps in the neighborhood pools. These folks, for the most part could care less about the bobbers (above) and are fearful that the walkers will bump into them or that they might bump into the walkers and be touched or touch the other in inappropriate places.

I do not mention a potential fourth group since these are found in the family pools where frivolity is the name of the game.

I hope this categorization clears up any misconception of the people one can see at the neighborhood adult pools.

Just to clarify things a little. A person with a guest pass over 18 can use a family pool without a resident with them. An In-Area Guest Pass holder needs a resident to accompany them.
Village Community Development Districts

Not exactly, the neighborhood pools are for over 30 years of age - EVERY neighborhood pool has it posted on the building. 18 year olds with or without anyone cannot use them. However, they are welcome at family pools and if there is a member in the house, also at country club priority pools.

I remember when I was in my 30’s a lady on the Villages van (going from the airport to the Villages) took up conversation with me. She mentioned that she was an attorney at a well-known firm and the importance of some of the things she was responsible for. Then she smiled mischievously. She said, “You know, in The Villages, I’m a child. I am 29 years old and I am not allowed to go to the pool.” This was a long time ago, and the pool she was talking about was the original historic district pool. Well, things haven’t changed as far as that goes.

You need to be 30 to use a neighborhood pool.
And not over 18, but not under 19.
“If the guest is under 19 years of age, they must be accompanied by a Villages resident or a guest 19 years of age or older with a valid guest ID card and photo ID”

Must have been out at the pool to long today, or just used to under 30's being at our pool because they don't check and most people at our pool don't care.

The first two groups will stay in for hours and never leave to take care of nature calling shall we say. Makes us have yuch factor toward the pool.

It takes one call only for enforcement - sort of like it’s okay not to stop at a stop sign, no? If nobody reports it? Well, in my opinion, breaking rules is not the best habit to cultivate. Although, that said, if people are especially well behaved and considerate, I can see not reporting them.

OBB here is my posts. No confusion, if one reads all the posts. One doesn’t join CC pool, you now buy an enhancement, and if one goes online you can see rates for the different enhancement offered. Priority was dissolved for anyone new, or renewing 5/1/22. Sad day, not only for prior priority membership, but for new enhancement membership

The reason we have our own pool.

If you want to fit in just talk about the subject I hear the most at pools. Doctor visits and your illnesses or conditions you are being treated for. You will be instantly accepted into the clique