Most Overused Scare?

[Dr.Mandrake]

What, in your opinion, is the most overused scare/character/costume used in haunted houses these days?

[Allen H]

Clown actor doing a statue scare....what do I win LOL.

[jakprintsHAUNT]

Chainsaws (especially old ones that stall a lot), and/or actor jumping out going RAWR! Or the different variations of the actor saying "get out of here" (you want them to go through right?). If you are going to do chainsaws, at least find something creative to do with it...like Haunted Hoochie had people on ziplines with chainsaws and what seemed to be timed "chainsaw rallies" in the cue line...Granted Im sure there is a fear of chainsaws much like the fear of clowns (caulrophobia) usually when it is used, it is overused, becomes a crutch for the actor.

Just my opinions on the subject.

You should also do one of these on rooms or scenes.

Mike "Pogo" Hach

[LivingTheHauntedHouseLife]

The most over-used scare in my opinion would have to be the chain-saws of course...
and the most over-used costume would have to be a clown costume, or just a plain black outfit.

~LivingTheHauntedHouseLife

[Dalloween]

was gonna say clowns and chainsaws... but then I've heard several different people, from different haunts, say that both items come up frequently in post-show surveys... as items people say they are scared of. As cliche as I think they are... I suppose they are a main stay for a reason.

[Dr.Mandrake]

Dalloween, I agree. If they didn't scare people, I don't think they would be so prevalent in this industry. They're still here for a reason.

[Haunted Prints (EOM)]

You can never have to many chainsaws or clowns in your haunt, when used in a creative and appropriate manor. These scares only become bad/overused when not done correctly. But then again any scare can be seen as overused if done poorly.

[Cincyscreams]

Drop panels, effective, yet overused everywhere!

[LadyRogue86]

At our haunt, it's the snarl right now. We're really working on eliminating that!

[dr0zombie]

Industry wise we hate the chainsaw thing, it is tired and overused. People still seem to love it. I mean think about the chainsaw gag. The original Texas Chainsaw was 1974. The gag more or less grew up with the Jaycee haunted house fundraiser. It’s nearly 40 years old as a scare!!! I am sick of it as I have been seeing it my entire LIFE in haunts. LOL .... But, if it wasn’t what people expected we would have all got rid of it years ago.

I am going to agree on the drop picture. People tend to use too many in obvious locations… it just kills their value.

My personal ‘I hate that actor’ is vampires. What the hell can a vampire actually do in a haunt to scare you? Drink your blood? Most of them hiss or scream and its just pathetically lame.