I believe it means in the words of that great " Yogi " Berra that :

" No one goes there anymore ' cause it`s too crowded " ! :)

Oh.my.gosh!!! What ever are you referring to re: malcontents??? The only curmudgeons I've experienced are on social media and people stirring the pot. We've been here 6 years and never have regretted our decision to come. I think if folks focus on how their "cup is half empty" then most certainly they'll be unhappy BUT I, for one, haven't met anyone who is.

Someone on this thread mentioned how crowded it is an impossible it is to be served (this was posted today)...I'm not sure what planet they live on but we eat out 2 to 3 times a week and walk right in wherever we go and get seated immediately. During "high season" we just work around the the times by going early. As for traffic...then go to south Florida OR Atlanta or any large city and compare it with here. Our traffic isn't all that bad considering those places!!!

Winter/spring is overcrowded...my friends and I had to eat at a KFC after church to avoid hours of wait in TV. Still not a KFC fan.....

I don't want to go to south Florida or Atlanta....TV is not an Atlanta or large city....so what why the comments "as the curmudgeons, and "people stirring the pot"....can you show respect for others with a different opinion than your own???? some manners, maturity, and tolerance is necessary to have discussions.

It's your choice
 

Hello!

My wife and I are moving to the villages in two weeks! WHOO HOO!! :a040: We've been working towards this goal for 3 years, and now it's here. I got a chance at an early retirement and jumped at the chance. That being said, we've always believed that a persons happiness...or lack of it... is a personal choice. I'm not saying that we see the world through "rose colored glasses"....but we prefer to be positive. We only get one chance on earth to live the life God gave us. Let's enjoy it! You'll recognize us if you see us. We'll be the ones with the smiles from ear to ear.

I have lived in the Villages for 6 years and watched it grow. We had nice friendly people living here. As the Villages has grown, the so has attitudes of the people. This is no longer the Friendliess Hometown place to live but just another town where everyone does for themselves. I see the same rudeness and yelling and bickering over the most ridiculous things because retirees think they have or expect a sense of entitlement for living in the Villages. This is not Park Avenue. There are people that live in trailers home to premier homes. They just like to put on the pretense of that because they are a Villager and put on the airs in public and be snobby and it is distasteful. I as a Villager I see this all the time. Come on people, were is your sense of decentcy & respect for others.

You will love it here. It's an awesome place.
And trust me, you won't have to go to KFC after church. Lots of places you can go. :D

I think there is a definite sense of discontent in Villagers now. I have lived here for 8 years and have seen such a big change in the attitudes of residents and I do think it is because TV has gotten so much bigger. Too many people and it has lost its small town atmosphere. It also seems the residents have very little voice in changes that are being made that contribute to our stress. Doubt if it is possible to get back to being “the friendliest hometown”.

We've been coming since 2007. Even in January we have had very few problems finding a restaurant to eat at. Course we usually go later since were a little younger you know that eight-ish dinner. Our house backs up to a road now and I don't find the traffic in January much different then in April. People still wave as they go by and seem to be laughing and talking as we catch some of their conversation.

We've been here over 15 years. I don't see any change in people or their attitudes. It has nothing to do with the amount of people here. We have always had happy positive people and those who have a hard time being happy & those few that love to stir the pot and get a rise out of people. That's the way it is in the entire world. I see it everywhere.
I will continue to be a happy positive person. Keeps my blood pressure down too. :icon_wink:

I believe if individuals are not happy here, chances are they wouldn't be happy anywhere they lived and always have something to complain about. Since living here we've never had to go to places like KFC to eat rather than a sunday brunch or stuck in traffic. Sure, there were times we may had to wait a few for a table but we don't eat dinner at 4:00 pm either. Some just stress themselves for no reason over the most trivial thing. Relax and live.

For those that are unhappy, there is a simple solution - move. We have been here three weeks and are loving it. We are so busy, our days are flying by. We have met some incredibly nice people. And for those who are not so nice, we simply don't have to hang with them. We create our own happiness!

Glad you're loving it !!
I always say. if someone doesn't like it here, they should move somewhere where they will be happy. :)

Unhappy??? NO, don't think so!
 

Lived in TV since 2006 and could not be happier! My experience is that unhappy people will be unhappy anywhere. So much to do and truly friendly people. Oh yes, there will be a few but that's true anywhere. Wouldn't live any other location. :coolsmiley:

Basically very happy here, however I believe that TV is being way over built without consideration for additional infrastructure. The Fruitland Park addition could be a disaster. How will all of the new people connect to TV? It looks like the Colony tunnel is it.
Also, there are the Anonymous Crusaders here that call in the "Deed Violations" because they are offended by an 8" statue of a frog or a bunny. We have this type of person here in Tamarind Grove. Calls in 30 houses at a time. I doubt that she is happy as she just drives around looking for violations. (Yes, SHE. We have seen her and we are close to pinpointing her).

I agree with angiefox! We've lived here 7.5 years & moving here was the best decision of our lives! There will always be issues & problems, no matter in which community you reside, but looking back on all our previous residences, The Villages comes as close to our ideal as is possible in an imperfect world. Also, Angie just so happens to be one of the many wonderful new friends I've made since moving here! ;-) Ang! LOL!

Some folks are unhappy where ever they are. Don't ruin things for the rest of us.

5 years &I still love TV

If people "choose" to live in the Fruitland Park area, they will know before they buy, they may have to drive a car.
As for the crusaders turning in statues, no one would even have to worry about that if they were following the rules of our deed restrictions.

A quick analysis reveals we have two groups; malcontents and Stepford couples. So, on average, we're pretty normal.

We have been at The Villages 2 years and we love it. I do have to admit it is more fun after the snow birds leave. I have found some of them to be very rude but that would be found any where people exist in crowded situations like our squares.

My husband and I built a home in Gilchrist East 2 years ago and would come to TV about every 3 months for 10 days. We permanently moved to TV July 1....4 weeks ago. In all our visits and the short time we've lived here we haven't met anyone who doesn't love it here. A lady I spoke to the other day said "when we go on vacation we can't wait to get back". How awesome is that? If someone is unhappy here they have a choice....move!!

That is great to be so optimistic. When I drive and walk around glancing & observing people I do not see anyone smiling or waving @ each other unless they are in their on group's. That use to be once upon a time here. Everyone is always in a rush and pushy. Just like every big city. The Villages is no longer different. Wake up.

I see people smiling, waving & giving a friendly nod all the time.

TV is like a big city? Wow...love it or hate it I cannot see this comparison at all. I'm not sure who's the one asleep.

It's a Golf Cart Community.

Either way, Colony Plaza will be swamped with hundreds more carts or cars, though I doubt they will take carts.

And hopefully, they will follow the rules, like stop signs, 15 MPH speed limits and such and avoid the dreaded 8" frog.

This is the first time I have ever said this...if you believe this, perhaps it is time to move elsewhere.

I'm guessing you've never lived in a large (really large) city. To say that TV is no different from New York, Boston, etc is really ridiculous...at best

Like I always say, some people just like to stir the pot to get a rise out of people.

The story is told of a traveler who, on his way to a city, asked a resident from the city what the city was like, if the people were friendly, etc. In his response, the resident asked the traveler what the people were like in the city from which he was traveling. He said they were a mean, stingy, unhappy lot. The resident of the city said I think you’ll find those here to be the same.
Another traveler happened to stop and ask the same resident the same question, to which he replied with the likewise. But this time the traveler said the folks in the city which he had left were warm, friendly and generous. The resident of the city replied I think you’ll find those here to be the same.

I have found the Villagers--less the one or two percent--to be as happy as they have ever been and delighted at their decision to move here.

“No matter where you go, there you are.”

Why must we fight for improvements?
 

For the record- I am a Villager resident for well 10 years and agree with the original post. While I'm happy living here for the most part, the original developer, Mr. Harold Schwartz, treated us residents as the most important and put us first. Bless him for the lifestyle he created and he was entitled to every dollar of the millions which he was rewarded.

His successors appear to have placed money making up top. The facilities- rec centers, athletic fields, golf courses, etc. are insufficient to accommodate the the number of residents they've brought here with our help. One often cannot get into an activity because of the overcrowding, nor get a reasonable tee time. The building continues without addition of sufficient golf holes or other facilities, unless we can force same thru our local CDD Boards or the POA. Many of the residents are unaware of actions by the developer over the years which negatively affected the community. There were good reasons why the developer agreed to pay $40 million plus to settle the law suit. Examples of his greed are the wall constructed in the middle of the night blocking cart access to Lowes & the East Medical Campus, the order restricting protesters from the street in front of the sales office in Spanish Springs, lack of cooperation on the siding and roofing failures, etc., etc. The POA Bulletins document these and other problems over the years for those interested in pursuing the subject!

Because of how the bonding was set up by the developer for his monetary advantage, we have paid almost ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS in legal fees alone, to date, fighting the IRS suit which still has not ended. This amount excludes the cost of thousands of hours expended for staff time required. Further there are numerous examples of how he set up to have us pay for maintenance of his commercial endeavors such as the retention pond entirely on the Lopez Legacy golf course.

Yes the developer has done many good things. But, each of us must weigh whether we should have to fight so vigorously for the things for which we pay.

Complaining is not the same as being unhappy. My wife complains about slow play on the golf course, rude people, and anything that is not perfect to her taste (including me) but she would not leave The Villages for anything. Happy as a lark here. We had a saying in the Navy, "A grumbling (word changed) sailor is a happy sailor", and i have found it to apply to TV as well. Complaining about imperfection does not directly translate to unhappy. I believe most residents are usually to busy playing to post complaints on this forum, I know I am except when it rains too much to play pickleball.

I am very discontented. I has become so crowded that people don't wave to each other anymore. During Season forget about going out to eat! Also, it has become so expensive to shop, dine or even have a few cocktails with friends to catch up. I almost never do anything inside The Villages anymore I go outside where the prices are friendlier. Streets = crowded, golf courses = crowded, restaurants = crowded. Not much left to like except Life Long Learning College.

I'm surprised it took this long to get to the "greed of the developer" !!. We knew Harold and used to chat with him once or twice a week usually at Cafe Ole. He would be very proud of the Villages !!! If he was still here, I doubt it would be much different than it is now.
He had a vision of how big this place would be and the opportunities. As with every business person in the world, Harold enjoyed making money while he created this awesome place. Same with the Morse family. And to all of them, a great big :bigbow:

To those who think it's too crowded and not friendly, find another place to live. Why would anyone stay somewhere they weren't happy. I don't get it !!!

You have been a member a long time for this to be your first post. How long have you lived in TV?

Just curious what places you are going to where you get cheaper cocktails?

The solution I keep hearing is, if your unhappy, move. These aren't apartments, you don't break your lease and just move. Maybe the rest of you just pick up and move like a bunch of ants but I stay put. I just don't tolerate inflated egos. That is what this community has drawn. I just shake my head and walk away from that kind of behavior. Move yes, step aside from the jerk.

If you're happy (99% of us), stay happy. If you're the 1 % unhappy, explore your options. No need to try to recruit anyone to your side.

I guess I just wonder why people who are somewhat new in the last few years complain about how many people there are. They must have seen it before they bought here, or noticed that people weren't waving to them as they looked around at the houses..

I still haven't figured out the obsession with smiling and waving at strangers and reading negative things into their failure to reciprocate.

"Am I just meeting a lot of people too good to wave back or are there a lot of unhappy people?"

Just like every big city? Spend a few days in Miami and say that...