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Even though pre-orders are already open to the Wii U, you better not get rid of your Wii just yet.
In the aftermath of the exciting news about Nintendo's shiny new console coming out later this year, one faint question was asked that would be important to any previous Wii user: What would happen to all our virtual data? Apparently that virtual data on your Wii – Miis, WiiWare and Virtual Console games – are connected to your console and not an account. So if you got a copy of, say, Secret of Mana on your Wii and you traded in that Wii for a Wii U, you'll need to buy Secret of Mana again.
Gimme Gimme Games asked Nintendo about this situation, and Nintendo basically confirmed it. Supposedly this is the same system used when you want to transfer data from a Nintendo DSi to a Nintendo 3DS, or a Nintendo 3DS XL. Both the Wii and Wii U will need to be connected to the Internet and the Wii U will need an SD card to facilitate the transfer. Nintendo also added at the end that this 'process' seems to be "received positively by consumers".
In a way this might not be surprising, if anyone has made an upgrade from a Nintendo DSi to a Nintendo 3DS. However this seems to punish some people who wish to get the Nintendo Wii U while preserving their virtual data. Gamestop is offering $50 trade in for Wii consoles, and most consumers might take up this deal since the Wii U is backwards compatible with Wii titles. Claiming that this process was 'received positively' might be ignoring the parents that traded in the Wii for their children, only to find out they need to buy Secret of Mana again.
If you do intend to keep your Wii, this might not be a serious issue if you intend on getting a Wii U. But just 'For Your Information', hold onto that console until November before trading it in.
Source: Destructoid.