Turtlemtn, welcome back to fly fishing, and to pond ownership and pond fly fishing, too. I've been throwing loops with "the long rod" for 50+ years now, so I can understand your interest and wonder at the magic.
Fireishot has spoken wisely. Run what you brung.
We usually find a moderate, even a slower action rod to be forgiving in the close cast situations found on ponds and on high mountain lakes. At times we'll fill our reel with line weight 1 or sometimes even 2 weights heavier than specified on the rod. This "overloading" helps to flex the rod without false casts, important when the fish are in close and possibly spooked by all that waving around over their heads.
Personally, I find I fish more with my less expensive stuff, as I don't mind leaving the cheaper rod out at the pond. I'll walk by and pick it up and make a few casts, spur of the moment. I don't have to walk back up to the house for the better stuff; I can simply pounce on that fish cruising by.
It sounds like you have lots of fun and memory making in your future.
