Beta: Mid February (Blizzcon most likely announcement)
Prepatch: April 13/14 (US/EU)
- Prepatch indicates existing realms going from Classic to TBC servers. If you want to keep the character as a vanilla only character I assume there will be an option to move it over to a Classic realm? Would be a lot of servers to have TBC, Fresh Classic, and then whatever they call the realms you can transfer these current dudes over to.
Personally I agree that it would be a good idea to allow the leveling of Blood Elf and Draenei early rather on release. Let people make their Alliance Shamans and Horde Paladins early so they can level through Outlands with their friends right away.