We have a 24' above ground pool and was thinking of using a solar cover. The issue is, the wife has a hard time getting the cover off. We haven't used one in a few years. I was thinking of a liquid solar cover, but if it's windy it isn't effective. Was considering the round discs, but those are really expensive. If we went with a full solar cover, what are the options for easy removal? We had a reel in the past and was a pain because we had to lift it out of the pool to be able to use the entire pool The deck that's up by the pool isn't very large at all. Anyone have suggestions on what to do? We also have friends/family that use the pool when we are working so something not complicated is best.

Get a different wife !!

I fabbed up a BLACK tarp and just lay it on top with four weights at the corners. When it's pool time just kick the weights off, tug it off by one corner and bunch it up out of the way. It isn't the prettiest setup but it is by far the lightest, easiest to handle and most effective:

Often it heats the top 6 inches of water so much that it's warmer than bath water. I have the suction set up to pull the hot water off the top,shoot it to the bottom and push the cold water up to get heated. Power of the sun with that black tarp is amazing.

I have a 24" round as well (Northwest Indiana) and I have a 150k heater, but I still use the standard solar cover at times.
There are above ground solar cover reels (one person) that can attach to the pool rail and when you rollup the cover, you then swing the opposite rail out of the way. That could be an option for you? I also have solar cover large J brackets that attach under the pool rail to store the cover when not in use. I did think about the roll up attachment as it seems pretty easy.

I just set up an 8' kiddie pool on my deck yesterday. The wife put a couple black trash bags on the water. This doesn't help you in any way...I just got the mental picture of a full sized pool with a bunch of trash bags floating on top of the water.

Oh yeah, kiddies and plastics bags !!!

If you are using a heater, a solar blanket is a must-have item, as you can lose 50% or more of the heat gained overnight due to the heat transfer into the cold air. Also, about 75% of a swimming pool's heat loss is due to evaporation. A solar cover minimizes heat loss from evaporation by acting as a barrier between swimming pool water and the air. Another must-have for any pool is to have a sump pump. They are super important since they prevent all kinds of possible issues. I hired a group of professionals to build a pool in my backyard this summer, and they got the sump pump from sumppumpadvisor.com.

the problem with a solar cover is.... u gotta reel it in , and it takes up a lot of space... it def keeps the water warmer, and cuts down on the use of propane/electric, or whatever u heat the water with... but its the storing of the cover on the reel -

I'm in NE Ohio and my 18x36 inground pool always has a solar cover on it when not in use during the summer. I prefer a clear 16 mil cover. It's heavy, but really helps keep the pool warm. I also have a good quality solar reel which makes a world of difference with taking the cover on/off the pool.

My biggest issue is I only get 1-2 years out of a cover. I've tried different thicknesses of covers and different colors (clear, blue). These solar covers are frustrating, but they they really help keep my water about 10 degrees warmer and cut down on evaporation.