I know it's definitely not for everyone, but I do miss the camp-outs the night before launch.
As someone who upgrades annually, and whose career affords the flexibility of schedule required, I would camp out overnight to get the phone directly from the store every year.
I was almost always within the first few spots of the front of the line, often the front. It was always a festive atmosphere and I generally found the folks in line with me up front were often business owners, fellow engineers, and so on. We'd meet, learn about each other, and generally have a good time. I'd always bring a long extension cord and a large power-strip, which everyone around appreciated. Bonus for being at the front of the line: you'd be able to hop on the Apple Store's wifi.
It was always good times with good company; a bunch of people excited for the same reason. And as a really cool bonus, you'd get your shiny new toy the next morning. A fun annual event.
With the improvements of pre-order, and the cracking down of camping by the local shopping areas where the Apple Stores are, it's been a few years since a campout, and they'll likely not happen again ... but I remember those nights fondly.