Magic Castle Inn & Suites

The Magic Castle Inn & Suites motel was famously featured in Sean Baker’s 2017 film, The Florida Project. The film centers around homeless families just six miles away from Walt Disney World. Thus, the film’s cultural significance gives the motel its historic stamp of approval, bringing awareness to the critical issues of poverty and homelessness in modern-USA’s families. As of June of 2022, the motel abruptly switched to new management under Norman Restorations and has since closed to undergo improvements.

The Magic Castle Inn & Suites, built in 1991 and founded by Debbie Buxton and David Sarfati, is a motel located in Kissimmee, Florida, just outside of Orlando. The motel gained significance after it was used as the exterior location for the fictional Magic Castle motel in the 2017 film "The Florida Project."

The film centers on the adventures of a little girl and her friends, who reside with their families at the Magic Castle, a low-cost motel outside of Orlando. The Futureland Hotel was utilized in the movie to give the fictional motel a sense of authenticity and to serve as a visual representation of the kind of housing that is common among low-income families in the region.

Following the release of the film, the Magic Castle became a popular destination for fans of the movie. The motel's distinctive neon sign and colorful exterior made it a recognizable landmark, and many visitors came to take photos and see the place where the film was shot.The motel has also gained attention for its role in highlighting the issue of affordable housing in the Orlando area. The motel and others like it have become an important source of housing for low-income families who struggle to find affordable options in the expensive housing market of central Florida. The film brought attention to this issue and sparked conversations about the need for affordable housing solutions in the area. Its cultural significance will impact generations to come, knowing such a place has housed so many without homes.

Having recently (2022) been sold to new management under Chris Norman at Norman Restorations, the property is now vacant and undergoing construction. Tenants were given a last minute notice to leave the premises as the property needed to be empty in order to move on with any advancements. This placed many individuals and families in a difficult situation, as it was felt they were not told with enough time to prepare for such a change.

Magic Castle Inn & Suites . Accessed February 23rd, 2023. http://www.magiccastleinnsuiteskissmmee.us.

Jackson, Ken. "What we know about the Magic Castle Inn", Osceola News Gazette. June 26th, 2022. Accessed February 23rd, 2023. https://www.aroundosceola.com/news/what-we-know-about-magic-castle-inn.

Luscombe, Richard. "In the shadow of Disney, living life on the margins", The Guardian. October 15th, 2017. Accessed February 23rd, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/15/in-the-shadow-of-disney-living-life-on-the-margins.

"Magic Castle Inn & Suites", Travel Weekly. Accessed March 30th, 2023. https://www.travelweekly.com/Hotels/Kissimmee-FL/Magic-Castle-Inn-Suites-p56711120.

Lupfer, Lindsey. What The Florida Project Got Right, & Where It Missed The Mark, The Financial Diet. April 19th, 2018. Accessed February 23rd, 2023. https://thefinancialdiet.com/what-the-florida-project-got-right-where-it-missed-the-mark/.