# Best Ending Scare



## ShadyHallows

Well, since theres a topic about pacing, and the last scare seems to be the biggest thing you need to have in order to succeed in the haunt world. That's why I ask, what is truly the best/ most memorable last scare? I have one more sort of small room to work with and already have a t.v. room, chainsaw room, operation room and a fair amount of hallways. I can do anything in the last room and ask the haunt community, what shall I do?


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## Eric Striffler

Well our final scare this year is our electric chair.
We have the whole electric chair set-up, and the strobes flash and the siren goes off and the smoke pours out and all that good stuff.
Then our actor lies motionless in the chair so people think that was it.
Then he flips the switch and turns it all on again, but he flips another switch that turns on another strobe facing him and he LUNGES (and i mean LUNGES) out of the chair at the group.
It's actually an extremely great scare.
Hopefully we'll have a video of it this year. ;D


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## Death Wraith

There is an animatronic electrocution gag similar to what you do with an animatronic victim that flies out of the chair and slams into plexiglass in front of the patrons. Of course it's several thousand dollars too!!

Two years ago a guy at our haunt fired up the old chainsaw in the last area and chased the patrons out the door. Last year wasn't quite so dramatic but occassionally actors would silently follow a group clear out to the parking lot. And that was while wearing the cheesy 'Scream' costume from Walmart! Still freaked some people out.

Since we use the same setup every year people assume they are safe once they make it out the back door. We have plenty of room to set-up a scare there BUT patrons arriving at our haunt might be able to see the scare before they go through.


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## Head Spook

We've done the chainsaw thing at the end for several years which is a real adrenaline rush for the end. This year, we're having our Hellevator at the end. We live in a small town so several years we've had an actor go out and hide in someone's backseat (as no one locks their cars) and then jump up before they start the car. Had 2 teenage boys nearly pee themselves!! It was awesome and still makes me crack up whenever I think about it.


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## Front Yard Fright

The classic chainsaw or cricular saw gig is what most haunts use at the very end... give them something to remember you by!
I think that I am going to go with the circular saw this year because, like you, I have an empty room with nothing to put in it!
.


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## kirkwood

I love the chainsaw end but there is a way to put a spin on that. Have what seems to be a safe area. The end of the haunt...well as the guests think it is. Where they exit and start talking about how they weren't scared at all. Maybe you have a bowl of candy and a thank you sign. Then have the lights go dark, chainsaw start up, and strobe light come on. Hit 'em when they think they're safe. haha.

I'm actually not a big fan of chasing the patrons back outside because then everyone else knows exactly what to expect at the end. This works fine in a large haunt where you exit in a different place than you enter but that's not usually the case on the small scale.


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## trexmgd

Everyone nailed it - CHAINSAW
It's even OK if everyone knows it's coming, they still don't know when AND it builds up suspense.

Circular Saw? What do you do, just remove the blade? I like the idea of not having to start a gas motor, but then again, I'm not sure if a circular saw has the same fear factor as a good ole chainsaw.


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## tonguesandwich

My wife, without makeup!


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## Hauntiholik

tonguesandwich said:


> My wife, without makeup!


Everybody watch out - DEAD MAN WALKING!:xbones: LOL


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## Eric Striffler

tonguesandwich said:


> My wife, without makeup!


Lmao you're sick


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## Eric Striffler

Hauntiholik said:


> Everybody watch out - DEAD MAN WALKING!:xbones: LOL


Haha you're so right XD


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## Front Yard Fright

kirkwood said:


> I'm actually not a big fan of chasing the patrons back outside because then everyone else knows exactly what to expect at the end. This works fine in a large haunt where you exit in a different place than you enter but that's not usually the case on the small scale.


Yeah, but people completely forget about the chainsaw when they walk through the haunt.
I worked at a haunt in 2005 and they had a chainsaw and it got everyone!



trexmgd said:


> Circular Saw? What do you do, just remove the blade? I like the idea of not having to start a gas motor, but then again, I'm not sure if a circular saw has the same fear factor as a good ole chainsaw.


Yeah just remove the blade and plug in.
And like you said, there's no gas motor so it's just "plug and play".
.


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## THeme ssaGE

I dunno...a little cliche'....just a tad

You say you have a small room? and its the last room? Thats like a clean pallet...a fresh sheet of paper. That's like in school where everyone gets a sheet of blank paper and the teacher lets you draw anything you want. 

For a great idea...(I know you have a some money to spend), go around to garage sales...look around at old furniture, old teddy bears, whatever....Give space to the ideas that come to you - let em grow....People will buy into it...trust me! Create the atmosphere you know what I'm saying....

I think a good scare would be to just fill this last room with just enough fog to where they can kind of see but they're still very insecure and feeling vulnerable...

....we as haunters inherently sense this and make our move.


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## tonguesandwich

No worries, she is whipped....


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## tonguesandwich

Have a room with the President holding a Victory sign (You made it through the haunt, congrats) ...then have them take off their shoes and belts to go through security, which can be a guy with a chainsaw who is eating an apple. Its hard for people to run with their pants falling off and stubbing their toes on rocks. Stupid Leprechauns! I'm confused, what was the question? Is it Halloween yet.... I love the smell of fresh Latex in the morning.


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## kirkwood

i'm scared of that!


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## Beth

Tonguesandwich, you're a riot!! I bet your wife gets on this forum and tells you what to write!! Hahahahaha!!

The chainsaw may be cliche, but it seems to work!! Freaks out the little brats......(and some of the adults!!)  This year we're going to have the cemetery partitioned off so you can't see it until you walk through. We'll have the chainsaw dude walking around in there. (Along with zombies and vampires & such!!)


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## infoamtek

The one I like best is the chalkboard. It reads "Was This Haunt Scary?" then two columns one "Yes". one "No". Some tick marks in each column and a piece of chalk tied to a string. When a patron goes to write on the board, it drops down (it's a drop panel in disguise) and a scary screamer jumps out at them.


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## Hellrazor

infoamtek said:


> The one I like best is the chalkboard. It reads "Was This Haunt Scary?" then two columns one "Yes". one "No". Some tick marks in each column and a piece of chalk tied to a string. When a patron goes to write on the board, it drops down (it's a drop panel in disguise) and a scary screamer jumps out at them.


LOL thats funny!


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## Front Yard Fright

infoamtek said:


> The one I like best is the chalkboard. It reads "Was This Haunt Scary?" then two columns one "Yes". one "No". Some tick marks in each column and a piece of chalk tied to a string. When a patron goes to write on the board, it drops down (it's a drop panel in disguise) and a scary screamer jumps out at them.


Ahh I like that one a ton!
I'm going to look into that next year!
.


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## Sickie Ickie

I agree! that sounds awesome!!! way to get those jerks who say they wren't scared!


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## Gloomy_Gus

I can't remember where it was, but somewhere on YouTube there was a video of a guys haunt. He had a walkway with rails all the way through the haunt. The rails were covered with dorp or some kind of ripped cloth. At the end just before you walk out the door he had a simple air cannon that shot out from underneath the dorp. Nothing fancy, just a puff of air that blew the cloth out. The video shows several walkthroughs and every person jumps and screams at that point. I love it for it's simplicity. The other thing that makes this ending so fabulous is that there is nothing in this particular part of the haunt. You simply walk towards the exit door. There isn't even a place where someone could be hiding to jump out so you really don't have anything to fear because you think you can see everything.

The other cool part of this haunt was that the scare came right as you were walking out the door, so those who were waiting to get in just see people running out and screaming.

I haven't worked my way up to pneumatics yet, but when I do, this will be my first one.


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## oct31man

I felt the same way about the chainsaw. That is was done every where. However, while planning for the first neighborhood haunt last year, all I heard was, Are you gonna have a chainsaw guy? So this year, I'm it! Only I will get them in the middle of the haunt and the end. I think hearing the chainsaw while waiting in line, fuels the anticipation of when it is coming!

I guess people like a chainsaw guy in a haunted house.


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## slimy

Gloomy_Gus said:


> I can't remember where it was, but somewhere on YouTube there was a video of a guys haunt. He had a walkway with rails all the way through the haunt. The rails were covered with dorp or some kind of ripped cloth. At the end just before you walk out the door he had a simple air cannon that shot out from underneath the dorp. Nothing fancy, just a puff of air that blew the cloth out. The video shows several walkthroughs and every person jumps and screams at that point. I love it for it's simplicity. The other thing that makes this ending so fabulous is that there is nothing in this particular part of the haunt. You simply walk towards the exit door. There isn't even a place where someone could be hiding to jump out so you really don't have anything to fear because you think you can see everything.
> 
> The other cool part of this haunt was that the scare came right as you were walking out the door, so those who were waiting to get in just see people running out and screaming.
> 
> I haven't worked my way up to pneumatics yet, but when I do, this will be my first one.


 You are talking about forum member 'the procrastinator'. His stuff is REALLY good. I love the air cannon at the end.

I'm still using a 'chainsaw guy' for my finale, though.


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## Gloomy_Gus

Ahh yes! I love his spider. I never did see the finished product but man that thing was awesome.


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## Eric Striffler

infoamtek said:


> The one I like best is the chalkboard. It reads "Was This Haunt Scary?" then two columns one "Yes". one "No". Some tick marks in each column and a piece of chalk tied to a string. When a patron goes to write on the board, it drops down (it's a drop panel in disguise) and a scary screamer jumps out at them.


THAT'S SUCH A GOOD IDEA!
My drop panel is a sign with rules or whatever and as people are reading it we drop it.


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## Front Yard Fright

We had something like this in the haunt I used to work at... We had a cave and right when you got in the middle a huge blast of air blew straight down on you... Got a ton of screams!
.


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## omgdan

Gloomy_Gus said:


> I can't remember where it was, but somewhere on YouTube there was a video of a guys haunt. He had a walkway with rails all the way through the haunt. The rails were covered with dorp or some kind of ripped cloth. At the end just before you walk out the door he had a simple air cannon that shot out from underneath the dorp. Nothing fancy, just a puff of air that blew the cloth out. The video shows several walkthroughs and every person jumps and screams at that point. I love it for it's simplicity. The other thing that makes this ending so fabulous is that there is nothing in this particular part of the haunt. You simply walk towards the exit door. There isn't even a place where someone could be hiding to jump out so you really don't have anything to fear because you think you can see everything.
> 
> The other cool part of this haunt was that the scare came right as you were walking out the door, so those who were waiting to get in just see people running out and screaming.
> 
> I haven't worked my way up to pneumatics yet, but when I do, this will be my first one.


Pretty sure the video your talking about is






Love that one, got it on my favorites. Such great reactions from such simple stuff, really effective.

Lurked here since last halloween but just had to sign up so others could see that haunt video your talking about haha.


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## THeme ssaGE

Front Yard Fright, your Avatar disturbs me deeply, that is just hellish and horrid...I dunno if thats a prop you have or whatever that is, its out of control.


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## Hauntiholik

THeme ssaGE said:


> Front Yard Fright, your Avatar disturbs me deeply, that is just hellish and horrid...I dunno if thats a prop you have or whatever that is, its out of control.


It's a prop called Finger Food. "This little scraper is hungry right down to her own FINGERS which she just ate. All Latex Prop with skeletal smile. Complete with pj's, long wig and socks. This horrifying prop is a must-have for your Haunted House or Halloween party!"


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## Spartan005

To be quite honest, the chainsaw thing kind of annoys me because everyone does it but oh well


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## Northern Touch

Skill Saw in a butcher Room or even a reciprocating saw with a plastic blade make for great scare even a loud drill..ha ha power tools so much U can do with them...


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## joker

This will be my first attempt of a haunt that includes more than a front porch and yard decorations. It'll be basically 4 rooms and the last being a maze built in my garage. The final room will be pretty open and have a 7' casket in the opposite of the room when you exit the maze. In the casket will be a shelf with a bowl full of candy. (It's a free haunt for the neighborhood kids) Behind the casket will be an actor and the lining of the casket is split so that he can lung out when they come and get the candy. To build the suspense I'm putting a sub with a red light connected to FX machine and motion sensor so when they get close the light will beat and heart beat pounds through the sub. This will also serve as a cue for the actor.


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## trexmgd

I love the chalk board drop panel idea. Anyone have a quick "How to" or info on building a stand alone drop panel?


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## tonguesandwich

Went to haunt last night. While in line we got to see (Hear) the people come out being chased by the chainsaw....so needless to say the chainsaw had zero thrill to us.


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## ghost37

ERICK WITH NO K said:


> Well our final scare this year is our electric chair.
> We have the whole electric chair set-up, and the strobes flash and the siren goes off and the smoke pours out and all that good stuff.
> Then our actor lies motionless in the chair so people think that was it.
> Then he flips the switch and turns it all on again, but he flips another switch that turns on another strobe facing him and he LUNGES (and i mean LUNGES) out of the chair at the group.
> It's actually an extremely great scare.
> Hopefully we'll have a video of it this year. ;D


I would really like to see your video when done, this sounds really cool...


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## Freakboro

Patrons walked out of the trail and were led up to the back door of a big shed by the "angel of death" (my buddy Jeff). He took them in to this shed which was FILLED with fog and actual ham meat hanging on hooks from the ceiling. Only one light in the corner burned which sent eerie shadows and light beams everywhere. 
Then the light went out. Only jeff's candle was left. He laughed and then blew it out.

...chainsaw cranks, starts, lights strobe on and off....you get the picture...then the exit doors slide open. People were crying, literally.


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## ghost37

freakboro, that sounds really cool. Probably would have scared the crap out of me...


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## Freakboro

ghost37 said:


> freakboro, that sounds really cool. Probably would have scared the crap out of me...


Haha, thanks.

What's funny is that my girlfriend had helped fix that scene up earlier in the day and completely knew how it would play out and when I went in to retrieve everyone in her group, she was sitting on the ground...she was one of the people who cried...hahah....I felt bad.


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## naberhoodhaunts

Our last scare was a trash can set up with chains on top. As the tots walked about 20 feet from the exit a row of trash cans on side of haunt with our rigged one in the line. just shook it using a pole from other side of wall. got them every time.


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## ubzest

*last scare*

Usually we have a chainsaw at the end of our HH. The thing that helps is that our haunt is so long with so many twists and turns, that the people don t know their at the end so the chainsaw scare works for us. Also we have 2 chainsaw guys working ,that really gets them runnin. Sometimes we will leave a chainsaw on a chair out in the open and when the people see it, they figure "oh the chainsaw guys not there", but its just a decoy and he gets them while their guard is down. In our guest book people say they liked the chainsaw scare and the dot room the best.


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## tonguesandwich

This year, for my home haunt I am going to try the claustrophobia tunnel.... Because it has to end in the front of my house where it begins.... there is no sound involved so the que treaters won't hear the scare. Plus... it is pretty wicked and a good prop to end with.


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## ghost37

tonguesandwich, are you making your claustrophobia tunnel, if so how or did you buy one?


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## Gloomy_Gus

I'm making my first venture into pneumatics this year. I have a guillotine that I have used with the candy bowl for years. TOT's have to reach through the guillotine to get their treats. It's static but just the fear that something might happen makes for a good scare. This year however, I'm going to put a small air cannon on the blade that will just shoot air down on the victim, not move the blade. The puff of air and the loud "hiss" should provide enough of a surprise.


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## sparky

There is nothing better than the drop panel for a haunt....... we had about two hundred people come thru our haunt last year and not one of them could keep there feet on the ground, i swear that everyone jumped right out there shoes!!!!! I was in the adjoining room but could see them very well, i was laughing so hard i couldn't scare anyone on there way into my room. The drop panel with "Is this haunt scary?" board, is a true "they won't forget your haunt"!!!!!!!!!!!:eekin:


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## Hauntmore

I love the idea of the drop panel with "Is this haunt scary?". 

One of my best end scares was at a haunt where we had a long dark hallway, that the TOTs exited out. No props or decorations, so most people thought it was over. That is, until an actor behind them would make a noise. They'd turn around, see Jason behind them, and then run for the exit.


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## abrcrombe

I think I might borrow that drop panel idea. It is such a great idea!!


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## Dark Angel 27

nice vid. what i don't get is what parents gonna take their little five your old kid into a haunt like that...the kids gonna have nigtmares for the rest of his life!

the blast of air was awesome! simple and it gets the job done!


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## Aquayne

In the JB Corn books he wrote of having a person sitting up on a ledge above the exit and dropping teddy bears on patrons as they leave. They laugh and leave talking. The people in the que dont see anything. I was thinking of a motorcycle wreck. have tables set up for the "torso Lady illusion" but have a pair of legs flailing in the air, an arm on one, and a head. All with see under the table illusions set up. I saw a head on a saw horse once that was a good gag. Sets up just as the living head on swords trick. I think you should leave em laughing.


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## Darkmaster

tonguesandwich said:


> My wife, without makeup!


Depending ---- some can do a heck of a job!!! LOL


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## The Creepster

Well first I like to throw pickles at the mailman because he stole the moose that stole my tent...then there was the time that I wore a...I lost my train of thought


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