iPad 3 launch - Orange County, CA

[fullmanfullninj]

Well, I'm in South Orange County, but I guess may as well start a thread...I don't see one yet for us anyway

This is my first line-up experience for an Apple product (btw, sorry if this is premature as the iPad hasn't even been announced officially yet). I'm still debating whether or not to go to a Best Buy or an Apple store.

In terms of Apple stores, I know South Coast Plaza doesn't let you line up prior to the mall opening. Does anyone know about Fashion Island or the Irvine Spectrum? I'm pretty sure you can line up cause those are "outdoor" malls. Spectrum is closer to my home, but I wouldn't mind going to Fashion Island...depends on which one is bigger I guess.

For Best Buy, I'm gonna just put it on the one by South Coast (at Metro Pointe). Trust me on this one, do not go to the BBY in Irvine (well, it's on Lake Forest Drive, just off the 5). Jamboree BBY (at The District) is really, really, reallllly small, so I doubt they'll have much stock. Mission Viejo might be a possibility...but the Costa Mesa BBY (South Coast/Metro Pointe) is definitely the largest in the area...there's a Pacific Sales and Magnolia in store and it is huge.

Any OC vets care to share their experiences/recommendations? Actually, can anyone approximate how many iPads a store gets on average? I'm worried Apple stores might be too popular
Cheers!

 

[dgstan]

I'm probably going to try Best Buy since I have a $450 gift card there. Mission Viejo is at least as big as South Coast, although I have no recent experience buying Apple products from either of them - launch day or not.

Depending on which day of the week they release it, I'll either be at BB SC or MV. Of course, if Apple allows pre-orders, I may just buy it online and wait a little while before using the BB GC (I need two iPads).

Let's talk after Wednesday and see if we can find out any more details regarding BB availability.

 

[Wingwright]

I'm from San Clemente.

Assuming there are no preorders and that my day is work-free, I plan on heading to the Irvine Spectrum Apple store. (The closest Apple store to me is actually Mission Viejo, but it's an indoor mall store)

The Irvine store opens at 10AM. I was planning on getting there no earlier than 8AM. Hope thats enough. This will be my first day one Apple purchase, so I don't know what to expect.

 

[3dflyboy1]

Mission viejo apple store is fine for me, I was second in line for the ipad 2. I'd rather line up indoors anyway.

 

[fullmanfullninj]

I used to work at Best Buy...I'll be asking some of my friends who still work there for some details

Actually, yeah, Mission is pretty nice. After lining up at Lake Forest, calling up and asking Costa Mesa, Jamboree, and Tustin BBYs, Mission finally delivered and I was able to get my HP Touchpad there last summer! I was like...5th in line at 9AM? Although this was a few days after the initial craze...but I saw someone post on Slickdeals, drove down, and picked one up.

Here's hoping for a good launch though...Best Buy was swamped like crazy with reserves last year...

Edit: sorry, I just realized I didn't clarify too well that I was posting about Mission Viejo Best Buy!

 

[Wingwright]

Regarding Mission Viejo...

The mall (and store) opens at 10AM. If you get there early, where do you line up?


This might work out nicely for me...I figure the further south I go, the better odds I have.

EDIT:

Mission viejo apple store is fine for me, I was second in line for the ipad 2. I'd rather line up indoors anyway.

How early did you have to be there?

 

[fullmanfullninj]

Isn't the Mission Viejo Apple Store kind of new anyway? Well..relatively new. I remember my senior year in high school (two years ago) they were in the process of building one there. That may explain the "short" line 3dflyboy1 experienced.

And wingwright, that is a good question. Any feedback about waiting outdoors before the mall opens, if the launch is morning as opposed to 5PM like the iPad 2?

I think if I go with Apple stores, I'll check out Spectrum bright and early cause it's really close to my home and on the way to Mission Viejo Apple store...anyone know what the 5 south is like early in the morning?

 

[Wingwright]

I didn't even consider that it could launch sometime during the day, instead of right when the store opens.

 

[sparkomatic]

I guess we'll see what time they actually start selling them on launch day. I camped out for the iPhone 4s launch and, if I remember correctly, they opened the store at 8am to start selling them. This was at the Irvine Spectrum. I also believe everyone that waited in line walked away with an iPhone.

The experience was a lot of fun but I don't want to do it again. If they start selling them at 8am again, I may get there at 4 or 5 and hope for the best.

 

[Sharkoid]

I used to work at Best Buy...I'll be asking some of my friends who still work there for some details

Actually, yeah, Mission is pretty nice. After lining up at Lake Forest, calling up and asking Costa Mesa, Jamboree, and Tustin BBYs, Mission finally delivered and I was able to get my HP Touchpad there last summer! I was like...5th in line at 9AM? Although this was a few days after the initial craze...but I saw someone post on Slickdeals, drove down, and picked one up.

Here's hoping for a good launch though...Best Buy was swamped like crazy with reserves last year...

Edit: sorry, I just realized I didn't clarify too well that I was posting about Mission Viejo Best Buy!

No mission viejo store has been open for a very long time at least 5 years.

 

[web500sjc]

Isn't the Mission Viejo Apple Store kind of new anyway? Well..relatively new. I remember my senior year in high school (two years ago) they were in the process of building one there. That may explain the "short" line.

it was apple expanding the store, it ghas been there for a while.

 

[sparkomatic]

Totally off-topic but...

Isn't or wasn't the Microsoft Store just a few doors down from the Apple Store? I thought I remembered reading that Microsoft opened their store after Apple and it was pretty close. The article also talked about how the Apple Store was consistently busy and then you'd walk by the Microsoft Store with no one in it...haha

 

[dgstan]

Totally off-topic but...

Isn't or wasn't the Microsoft Store just a few doors down from the Apple Store? I thought I remembered reading that Microsoft opened their store after Apple and it was pretty close. The article also talked about how the Apple Store was consistently busy and then you'd walk by the Microsoft Store with no one in it...haha

The MS store is about 8 stores down from the Apple store, both on the second floor. There's usually several people in the MS store since they've got an Xbox Kinect set up. I doubt anyone buys anything there, though. You can get the same stuff cheaper at other places.

The Apple store is always packed.

 

[m0g]

The Fashion Island store is actually pretty big and new, I wanna go there.

 

[phpmaven]

The Fashion Island store is actually pretty big and new, I wanna go there.

The Fashion Island store is huge! Far bigger than any of the other stores in the OC. They are likely to have way more stock than the other ones as well.

In the past when other stores were out of stock and getting small shipments in, they were getting way more stock in.

I wouldn't think about lining up anywhere else myself, that is if I hadn't pre-ordered in 3/7.

I'm from San Clemente.

Assuming there are no preorders and that my day is work-free, I plan on heading to the Irvine Spectrum Apple store. (The closest Apple store to me is actually Mission Viejo, but it's an indoor mall store)

The Irvine store opens at 10AM. I was planning on getting there no earlier than 8AM. Hope thats enough. This will be my first day one Apple purchase, so I don't know what to expect.

I live in San Clemente as well.

If you jump on the 73, you can get to Fashion Island in the same amount of time it takes to get to the Spectrum and the Store is way bigger. It's actually just a few minutes more than driving to Mission Viejo. I guarantee they will have a lot of stock on hand.

 

[sparkomatic]

Now that we know the stores will open at 8am, what time are all of us crazy people planning on getting in line?

I'm thinking of showing up around 4am.

 

[ip4]

Does anyone know if they only allow people to start lining up at a certain time for the Mission Viejo mall? I heard that at Fashion Island they aren't letting anyone queue until 6 am...

 

[fullmanfullninj]

I was at South Coast plaza earlier today and the guy said that SCP is letting people line up as early as 10:30pm tonight! I doubt it'll be inside the mall (he did say something about "I hope it doesn't rain", so I'm gonna think it's outdoors).

So however early you want, you could try out SCP Apple store. However, YMMV! I overheard an Apple store guy talking about this...I'm going to think it's true cause he was telling another customer who was inquiring about the iPad this.

 

[ip4]

I was at South Coast plaza earlier today and the guy said that SCP is letting people line up as early as 10:30pm tonight! I doubt it'll be inside the mall (he did say something about "I hope it doesn't rain", so I'm gonna think it's outdoors).

So however early you want, you could try out SCP Apple store. However, YMMV! I overheard an Apple store guy talking about this...I'm going to think it's true cause he was telling another customer who was inquiring about the iPad this.

Oh thanks! I hope I can make it to somewhere tonight... or else I'm just going to have to order it online and wait another few weeks.

 

[Eriden]

Went to Brea mall last year for the iPad 2 launch. Decided to skip the retail madness in favor of a pre-order this year. Looking forward to seeing the FedEx dude walking up the path to my home.

Good luck to everyone in the OC lines!

 

[gcastillo]

Line

I'm thinking of getting to the Apple Store at South Coast Plaza at around 11 pm tonight. Does anyone know if there will be a line for the iPad at that time or am I pretty safe?

 

[ScottInTheOC]

Now that we know the stores will open at 8am, what time are all of us crazy people planning on getting in line?

I'm thinking of showing up around 4am.

I'll be in line at Irvine Spectrum at 6am-ish. I'm sure there will be many there wayyyy earlier.

I've been there for previous launches and they usually don't disappoint with stock. I work across from the Spectrum, so going to MV or Fashion Island doesn't make sense for me. See y'all in line tomorrow!

 

[avgsort]

Planning to be at Brea around 6AM.

 

[KarlOlsson]

How does the line look at the irvine spectrum?

Anyone there, how does it look?

 

[sparkomatic]

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Well, slept for a bit and then couldn't sleep anymore so just came down the Spectrum. There's about 20-25 people in front of me. Not nearly as many people as there was for the iPhone 4s at this hour.

I really need to start pre-ordering...