LENEXA, Kan.- Connie Helsig stood first in line in front of hundreds of others outside Kohl's in Lenexa.
"This is the first time I've been first in line in 18 years!" said Connie Helsig. "I even did a happy dance!"
Connie and the rest of the shoppers filed in at 4:00 a.m. Several people waited hours.
Nebraska Furniture Mart at the Legends Shopping Center was complete chaos. The store's cashiers lines were surrounded by a mob of shoppers minutes after their 7:00 a.m. opening.
Zona Rosa shoppers in the Northland got to start their shopping at midnight.
People that lined up in front of stores across the metro were on a mission for a few prized sale items with prices slashed.
But many shoppers say the crowds aren't what they used to be. Lynne Mayhew admits she didn't get up to get in line because she didn't think as many people would be out.
"It has been a hard year," she said. "People are still shopping, but they're shopping for needs, not wants."
Kohl's managament says sales and crowds seemed steady from last year to this year.
Ariana Mayfield strolled into Kohl's after 6:00 a.m. She says the lines at Toys'R'Us were too long for her.
"I went at midnight but I turned around and went to bed," she said. "Then I got back up to come here."
Some shoppers made it to Toys'R'Us but said the crowd there was overwhelming.
“I will never do it again,” said Diana Healy. “I’d rather pay the few dollars and have peace of mind and not the pushing and shoving and hear ‘line cutters’! That’s vicious for Christmas time, you know what I mean?”
“It was crazy!” said Laura Garcia. “There was a lot of pushing and shoving and people crowding to get whatever they could get.”
Now retailers will closely watch how shoppers spend their money the rest of the holiday shopping season.
