So what'ya guys think? Will it be at my local apple store the same day it ships from the online store, or would I get it sooner through the mail by buying in advance?
There is a fair amount of speculation on this and many variables involved that make this near to impossible to answer.
I myself am betting/hoping that the quickest way will be to go to the Apple store early on released day (perhaps before they open) and grab one that way. However if you go later, there is a real chance they will be sold out, in which case it would have been faster to order online.
From what I gather, people seem to generally agree that the Apple stores will have the products around the same time they start shipping.