For those of you who don't know, Walmart starts taking preorders in-store for the Wii U Deluxe today via layaway. If you manage to preorder, you'll be guaranteed a system on launch day. If you go, make sure you print out this memo from CAG. You may also need to show them this printout. Here's the experience I had today (from another forum post): 
 
" Just got back from my local Walmart in North Carolina. I got there about 8:20 AM and no one else was there. I sat on the bench in front of layaway and waited. At 9 AM I stood at the counter so they would know I wanted to be helped. At 9:03 AM an employee asked me if I had been helped and I said no and that I was waiting for layaway. She told me they don't open until 10 AM (that is for the photo center that is at the same counter) and I pointed to the paper sign that said "LAYAWAY - 9 AM - 9 PM" and she said she didn't know who was scheduled to be there. She went to go find someone.

At 9:07 AM an employee came by to help me. I told her I was there to preorder the Wii U and that we're supposed to do it at layaway. She didn't know anything about it, so I handed her the memo I printed out from here. I told her that there should be a booklet with a bar code for her to scan, and that if there isn't, the manager should have one. She pulled out her radio and asked some lady if they knew anything about layaway for Wii U's, and she said she had no idea. The lady left the counter to go find someone.

At 9:15 AM she came back with the assistant manager who had the paper with the Wii U info and barcode. Yay! He was very nice and curiously asked me how I got the memo and knew about this, and I explained that it got leaked online. He said they were supposed to have signage sent to them to place around the store but that they never got it. He said since I'm #1 that I'll be guaranteed one and that I can come in to get it whenever on the 18th. The lady took my driver's license and put in my info, asked if I was the only one who was going to pick it up (so she could put in an alternate name or not), asked for my phone number, and then I paid the minimum of $42.50. She asked if she needed to print out the label, and the manager said she should so they can place it on the Wii U box if I don't pick it up right away.

They printed out a receipt for me to sign and initial, and then I got my copy and was on my way. Yaaay

So, yeah, MAKE SURE TO PRINT OUT THE MEMO and take it.

Edit: Oh, and the assistant manager said the system will not be allowed to take preorders anymore once the allotment is full. He joked that it was good that I was #1 since they'll probably only get two!" 
 
 
So if you've been trying to preorder a Wii U for launch day but haven't been able, go to Walmart as soon as possible. If you did preorder today, what was your experience?

I don't want to pre-order a Wii U, I'm just wondering how obsessively often you check your watch.

:D  
 
I only checked the time whenever I had an encounter with someone (so all the times listed). I needed to know for the good of the people.

@believer258 said:

I don't want to pre-order a Wii U, I'm just wondering how obsessively often you check your watch.

Hahaha

Wii U? Like the sound the police make?

I did and had the very same experience you did! No sales reps had a clue what to do! Manager had to do the order. But success!

people being crazy helps me not buy a WiiU. I hope it's this way for the other consoles too. I will not wait forever in line and jump through hoops and perform a centre circle act in order to give them my money. I will wait until I can say "Here is my 400 dollars." And they say "Here is what you wanted, sir."

Where did you get the bar code paper from?

No. The crazy things Nintendo could do with that tablet controller has me interested, but none of the launch games justify a day one purchase (for me anyway). Hopefully Nintendo can beat the odds and garner some decent third-party support this generation.

Miami.... Barcode will be in layaway dept. you don't need to bring it in.

i dont see a need to pre order. if i decide i want a wii u im pretty surry i can just buy one. i doubt they are gonna sell out. there is no hype like there was for the original wii.

JUST IN..........

Check it out:Amazon - Wii U Game Pre-order List

Hurry, and secure your Wii U console pre-order at the following retailers:

• BestBuy.com - Wii U 8GB Basic Set - $299.99 (Out of Stock)
• BestBuy.com - Wii U 32GB Deluxe Set- $349.99 (Out of Stock)
• GameStop - Wii U 8GB Basic Set- $299.99 (Out of Stock)
• GameStop - Wii U 32GB Deluxe Set- $349.99 (Out of Stock)
• Walmart - Wii U Console Bundle- $399.99 (Basic In Stock, Deluxe Out of Stock)

Deluxe sold out at Walmart now.......

@Wonkaman: I was looking at this site all week and noticed a change in what Walmart had to offer. This status just changed from out of stock to $399.99 (Basic In Stock, Deluxe Out of Stock). So not 100% positive but looks like the deluxe blew up today...... Please correct me if this is not true.

The employees don't seem to know what I am talking about

No thanks I already bought a Dreamcast.

@SmilingPig said:

No thanks I already bought a Dreamcast.

I don't know why anyone would buy a Wii U when you can just make one yourself.

1. Take a Wii and Dreamcast
2. Put the Dreamcast on top of the Wii and tape them together with duct tape
3. Take a gamecube controller and a dreamcast VMU
4. Duct tape the VMU on top of the gamecube controller.
5. Play the Wii U

God no that's like two levels of terrible, shopping at walmart and preordering.

I get all Nintendo consoles at some point but I don't think I am going to pre-order a WiiU first. I want to see what it turns out to be first.

Nah. I'm waiting on Pikmin 3, Rayman Legends, and The Wonderful 101. Smash Bros would be nice too I guess.

Edit: Also, Game & Wario

I'd like to but It doesn't have anything right now that I need to play. Rayman Legends may push me over the edge though.

My PC has a 670....I ain't preordering anything.

I've got WiiU preorder melancholy. I'm terribly bored and distraught of current console offers as much as I love the JRPGs and turnbased strategy games of the PS3, I really feel like preordering the WiiU because of those feelings and the hunger for something remotely new original and interesting, and for medical reasons giving me a sit down/lie down life until next spring or summer.
 
And it's going to be like 2014 when we see PS4 or 720 in the stores right? There hasn't been a console that was released the same year it was first shown and demonstrated besides maybe the Saturn right? No upcoming titles really speak to me on either machine and I don't even care much for PC gaming.
 
Even though it'll be region locked and I along with every other European will be region-fucked because of Spain Germany and France (long story short, they break out into hives, war and armed revolution if entertainment media gets released there without full translations to their languages) and I don't care the slightest about the launch titles and this can only serve as an over-time investment timekiller for me until I can remember what non-motion Wii titles I want to go through again, I will probably end up preordering it from my WalMart equivalent store within a week..
 
Am I the only dude bored enough to preorder the WiiU? We need group meetings and therapy, and people to hold our wallets.

I walked in and talked to the guy in electronics with no issues.... interesting that they are only doing deluxe bundles. I'm just happy I don't have show up early uncertain if I'm going to get one or if I would sit there questioning if I wanted to go basic because that is all that's left.