Disney World for Adults

Tuesday, March 22-Wednesday March 23

We're set up in the RV park for Alliance Coach.  Alliance is a moderate sized RV dealer (it seems primarily Monaco) with a nice service center.

It's located in Wildwood Florida, which we've never heard of.  It's between Ocala and Orlando.

This afternoon we got into the service center and they've determined that both front jacks need to be replaced.  Now to find the replacement jacks!  They get in contact with the manufacturer and they are having the jacks shipped overnight (at my expense), so perhaps we'll be on our way by Thursday or Friday.

Meanwhile, we're learning about the area a little more.  There's a subdivision (not really a subdivision, but a collection of them) close by called The Villages that we're told is one of the largest retirement communities (age restricted to above 55) in the country.

We ride around a little, pick up a picnic lunch at the grocery store and go to a county park for lunch and a bike ride.

Then we start exploring this place called The Villages.

And WOW!  Is it ever a place.  https://www.thevillages.com/

We are told that The Villages is 45 square miles and has over 100,000 residents.  That's incredible. That's 10% of Carteret County's land mass and nearly double the population.

This place is absolutely incredible.  10 golf courses, dozens of recreation centers, swimming pools, lakes, village centers.  The list goes on and on.

We've visited two of the village center (out of three).  That's where the thought that this is "Disney World for Adults" comes from.  These village centers are spread out among the 45 square miles and are really town centers, with restaurants, shops and everything else that a town (without a Walmart) would have.  There is a radio station and television station JUST for the Villages.  And a hospital. And a college.

Golf cars everywhere

Every night (except when the temperature gets below 45 degrees) they have entertainment in each of the three "town centers" and at one, there was a crafts fair going on (on Thursday night) and there were hundreds (maybe thousands) people listening to music, dancing, shopping and eating.

I've never seen a booth at a crafts fair selling pickleball equipment.  Obviously this is popular with the 55+ age group

Obviously, this part of the crafts fair was devoted to Grandma's with granddaughters on their American Girl doll

Haven't seen this one before

And Golf CARS (NOT Golf CARTS)!  There are traffic jams of these little modes of transportation. There are  roads JUST for the golf cars that link everything in the 45 square miles.  These roads parallel the regular roads, with tunnels underneath the roads so the Golf Cars do not intermingle with the cars.  Dozens are lined up in the town centers side by side in the parking spaces.

We've never seen anything like it.

There's an RV resort close by and we just might have to come back sometime.

Friday, March 25

This afternoon we finished all repairs to the motor home, however, it was too late in the day to start home.  As we were getting ready to go out to eat, Ken came over.  After a couple of drinks, we decided to go out to dinner, so we were joined by his wife, Vicky and we went back to the Italian restaurant we had enjoyed a couple days early.

We had great conversation with them and really enjoyed getting to know them.  Hopefully in the future, we will be able to get with them again.

Tony and Jills

Friday, March 18

We arrived at Tony and Jill's home in Port Charlotte this afternoon and set up camp as usual - in their driveway.  Works beautifully.

It's great to see the Pimentels and get caught up on the latest.  They are going to buy the house.  This was Tony's brothers home and they have been coming here for the past 3 or 4 winters.  It's a great location overlooking a golf course in the back yard.  With a few modifications, like adding a pool and knocking out a wall or so, they will have a great winter home (Summer's are in Maine).

Saturday, March 19

Tony and Jill have lined up a great treat for all of us.  We take the Murder Mystery Dinner Train in Fort Myers.  And what a great evening!

Running on a track that was established in the late 1800's, the Seminole Gulf Railway started the Dinner Train in 1991 with daytime excursions.  Soon they started the first Murder Mystery Productions and were instantly successful.  Over the past 25 years the Murder Mystery Dinner Train has hoster  over 1/2 million visitors.  The train seats up to 208 passengers in four air conditioned vintage railcars from the 1930's to the 1950's.  All of the fabulous food (I had the best prime rib I've ever had) is prepared fresh daily on board the train in the "Marco" kitchen and served by some great people.

A truly unique experience.

Sunday, March 20

Today, there was a great arts street festival in Engelwood.  I've now added to our collection of swinging chairs for our yard in Beaufort with the purchase of a new chair and a stand.  We hope the stand will fit in the basement of the motor home so we want have to find a spot with a tree for Clara to set up her swing.

After dinner this evening, we strolled around the lake in their backyard (which is part of the golf course).  It's an absolutely beautiful backyard, with a lake, alligator, and all kinds of birds.

Monday, March 21

We're off to Wildwood Florida (never heard of the place) to get the jacks on the motor home fixed. They've been acting up lately and now's a good time to fix them.