Final update - delivered today 12/7! Very satisfied with the vehicle, no defects that I could see (or at least bother me). Just to summarize my experience:
(1) Ordering online was uneventful (10/25). Received finance estimate next morning and asked to reply to confirm. Replied with confirmation, no response...and so begins the journey.
(2) Three days later, vehicle confirmed.
(3) Received notification that VIN assigned on 11/6 and provided contact information for internal delivery specialist. Emailed delivery specialist. No response. Was provided a tentative delivery date of January 7, 2019.
(4) Called Tesla customer support asking if there's anyone to help with my question about the delivery date and also confirming a quote for a trade-in. They message the internal delivery assistant, no response. Told this is "normal".
(5) Called again, asking for clarification and needing information from the internal delivery specialist. Finally get an email from the specialist calming the situation stating he see's the vehicle should finish production by 12/8 (yay!).
(6) Called customer support again for an update, was told the 12/8 date was wrong, and it should be January 7 (OMG!). Escalated back to my internal delivery specialist, and he explains that everything is fluid, but assured me the vehicle will be completed by the end of December.
(7) Came back from a trip and got notification on the webpage that production started on/around 11/30.
(8) Production completed 12/2 and now shown "in transit". Sent an email to the internal delivery specialist that I see the good news on the website and if there was an updated delivery date (knowing transit time should be very short).
(9) Got an email on 12/3 from the delivery specialist confirming the web information. Vehicle expected to arrive at service center 12/4 and confirms delivery to be 12/7 at 4pm.
(10) Been around the block a few times now, so called customer service. They confirmed the delivery date of 12/7, BUT says the time of day is 1pm (WTH!?..whatever keep rolling with it).
(11) Arrived at 1250pm on 12/7. Service Center has no record of my appointment for pick up (...about to go ballistic), but they quickly say that the "folks in the back likely have the info". Now 110pm, the delivery folks in back come out saying the vehicle is here, but not detailed (whatever, its here!).
(12) Delivery specialist was nice, but took another 2 hours to get paperwork done. They then took me out for the show and tell. The staff were clearly nervous or just not confident in showing the product and forgot how to perform certain functions (wow!). It is what it is, but I didn't mind since the car was fine and I can figure the rest out.
Very happy with the vehicle..but geez...what a journey.