Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 9.06

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 9.02

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.43

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 9.1

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 9.12

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 8.69

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 9

Hide This

Final Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 9.02

In downtown Gentry, Arkansas, lies Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House. Tucked in on the corner of Rust and Main Street of this quiet Northwest Arkansas town, the sight of the Carpenter’s Mortuary historical building alone is enough to send chills down your spine. Completed in October of 1929, Carpenter’s Mortuary served as a Mortuary and Funeral Chapel that coincidentally opened its doors weeks prior to the beginning of the Great Depression. The business survived as poverty, malnutrition, and death were the only certainties at that time.

Abandoned in 1974, the current owners discovered the building in the 1990s and rented the old mortuary portion for art and music rehearsal space. Their love for Halloween as well as the building’s spooky history, led to starting a successful trick-or-treat maze for the community that continued to evolve. Their passion for Halloween and the love of the building led to the Mortuary being placed and protected on the National Historic Building’s List as well as the opening of Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House in 2014.

Don’t let this small town fool you; inside, this haunt will immerse you step by step through the Mortuary practices and functions, from coffin-making to autopsies! If the abandoned Mortuary alone isn’t enough to draw you in, the actors and the progressive story will! The haunt is now even longer in 2023, as the queue area was made smaller to add more haunt time!

Our interaction with the cast here started upon arrival! Cast members were seen mingling with patrons both outside the haunt and while in line waiting to enter the spook house. The guests in line can see inside the Autopsy room while they wait and anticipate their own turn in the final room.

Each Mortuary room and theme has its own original character: The Mortician, Mother Carpenter, The Pathologist, The Grave Digger, The Coffin Builder, The Reverend, The Nurse, The Cremator, and The Butcher. No haunt is complete without a clown room and recurring character, and Knuckle Bones is the star of the show! We even noticed a new vampire character that was added to the cast!

The total cast is approximately 20 actors who completely embody their original characters and fill the haunt with minimal dead space. The cast is interactive and unscripted, which adds to the authenticity of each character and individual experiences. The autopsy room with The Butcher is the most physically interactive room and is the final room of the haunt. He uses his drill to separate guests and to chase them out of the haunt, sometimes all the way to their vehicles. We would like a few more jump-scare actors and equal scares and interactions for all in the group! However, the cast gave 100% and was completely immersed in their roles.

All the actors were well dressed in good quality costumes that were personalized and altered to their character. No article of clothing was generic, and everything fit well. Several actors had elaborate prosthetic makeup details. All makeup was thoughtfully applied and appropriate.

Mother Carpenter used basic all-over face makeup, and we would’ve loved to have seen added details such as dark makeup around the eyes or even a wart or two! Only one actor wore a mask, and it was worn with a uniform costume seamlessly. Even though he had a mask on, he was able to loudly scream and generate a perfect jump scare. The outside actors were equally believable and detailed.

Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House is easy to find in downtown Gentry, AR. Google Maps had no problem helping us find it! The building has outside flashing lights as well as outside actors, so you know you are in the right place! There is free parallel street parking as well as free paved parking lots behind and adjacent to the haunt. All parking areas are well-lit and are within a short walking distance. The ticket booth is at the south end of the haunt and is lit up like a carnival entrance. There was a police officer present.

The entrances all have signs and are well-lit, including the entrance to the gift shop and bathrooms, the fast pass line, and the outside overflow waiting line. The actual attraction itself was very safe. We did not encounter any uneven floors or wet slippery areas. There was no crawling or stooping, and only two areas of mild incline/decline were present. There are also no areas of total pitch-black darkness.

The non-cast staff members, including one of the owners, were extremely helpful and accommodating and interacted with the guests. They answered haunt questions and discussed the building’s history as well as the haunt’s storyline. Everyone was friendly, courteous, professional, and excited for the opportunity to scare us! Their website is amazing and easy to access. There are YouTube links to videos about each character you can watch!

You are immersed in the entire Mortuary experience once you exit your car! The outside lights and actors add so much to the excitement, and the atmosphere with the building’s history creates a haunted and heavy feel even before entering the haunt. For us, the ability to see the autopsy room and watch other guests interact with The Butcher only built our anticipation even more!

The mortuary storylines and themes are reiterated throughout the haunt. The waiting line flow moved well, and the atmosphere and decor created so much to see, from coffins and skeletons to framed portraits of the main characters. Groups were let in the haunt every 4-6 minutes, but we did have an issue with groups catching up during the time of our visit. All the different themed rooms make up the Mortuary as a whole, and the transitions between rooms were short.

What elevates this haunt to the next level is the impeccable and detailed set designs. We literally felt as if we were viewing horror movie sets. There was pre-recorded background audio for most scenes, and there were no areas of dead silence. They also utilized sparks, projection, a laser swamp, static characters, dim lighting, and fog.

While there were only a few animatronics, they were well-placed within the scenes. There was also a blacklight-lit vortex tunnel with Knuckle Bones waiting at the end. There were no air blasts, and this could potentially add increased jump scares!

We were completely immersed and in awe of the quality of the set design, the acting, and the overall storyline, which at times, distracted us from the scares. They drew us into the mortuary experience, making it feel as if we were truly in their story.

This haunt successfully scared us! While there weren’t as many jump scares, sneak attacks, or unexpected startles as we would have liked to see, the overall experience was scary because the building once existed as an actual mortuary, and we plummeted right in the middle of it!

The finale is the strongest part of the haunt. The moment patrons meet The Butcher, they immediately want away from him and his drill. The Butcher is the king of this haunt, and his character is one that guests will always remember!

We were very satisfied with the entertainment this haunt provided us. We do wish it was a little longer, as it only took us approx. 15 minutes to complete. We did not run or even walk fast through any portion, but we felt we were in each room for an adequate amount of time to appreciate the art and the fine details.

Ticket prices are regularly $20 per person, and fast passes are $40 per person. They also partner with 4 other local haunts in the area. If you visit all 5 and have ticket stubs, you get a free t-shirt! Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House is an excellent haunt and an experience you won’t soon forget!