Our Scariest Stories, and Why We Share Them

On our October Ohana call, we did something a little different. Ohana calls are our monthly get-together for the entire network: every partner, every destination, one virtual room. This time, in the spirit of Halloween, we asked everyone to share their spookiest event nightmares.

The stories came pouring in! Here are three that made us wince, laugh, and take notes.

The tent that lost its roof

The night before a major outdoor event, powerful winds ripped the roof clean off a huge tent. Two people were underneath when it happened, but thankfully, neither was injured. With the event fast approaching, the team faced a new nightmare: How do you move an entire event indoors before the guests arrive? It took 30 intense hours of nonstop work, but they pulled it off and held a successful event indoors. The lesson? This team will never look at outdoor event planning quite the same way again. From tent selection to carefully monitoring wind conditions, every detail matters!

The party crasher

The reception was in full swing, and one guest in particular was really enjoying himself. So much so that his shirt came off! That's when the client leaned over and said, “He's not with us.” As it turned out, the gentleman had wandered in off the street and refused to leave. Eventually, the police were called to handle the situation. The lesson? Make sure everyone knows who is responsible for managing entry and handling uninvited guests before the event begins.

The case of the vanishing wristbands

Thousands of wristbands for a major event were packed and ready to go, safely tucked inside a suitcase. There was just one problem: the suitcase never made it on the plane! For three days, the bag was nowhere to be found, leaving the team scrambling to replace the wristbands before guests arrived. The solutions? An emergency online order of glitter wristbands with expedited shipping. The lesson? Never leave event essentials to chance. Critical supplies now travel in carry-on bags or are shipped will in advance, with plenty of time to spare.

Why we tell these stories

These horror stories could have happened to any of us. That's exactly the point.

Ohana means family, and families talk about more than the highlights. We share the good, the bad, and the ugly, because someone else's nightmare is the best warning you'll ever get. One partner's 30-hour scramble becomes another partner's weather plan. One lost suitcase becomes a packing rule for the whole Network.

That's the real value of DMC Network. Our members are independent, owner-led businesses with deeply rooted destination expertise. But none of them works alone. Across 100+ destinations, they are connected to a network of colleagues who have seen it all and are always willing to share the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

For clients, that means something simple. When you work with a DMC Network member, you benefit from more than one company’s expertise. You have the collective knowledge and experience of an entire global network behind you, from the successes to the lessons learned, all through one point of contact.

We'd rather learn from each other's mistakes than repeat them. And we'd much rather laugh about those mistakes on a call than live through them on site!

Happy Halloween from all of us at the DMC Network. We're here for you!