10 Years of Family Memories with a Boutique Lifestyle Hotel: The Story Behind Magic Moment Resort and Kids Club in Orlando 

After years in architecture and luxury real estate, Carina Radonich, the founder of Magic Moment Resort and Kids Club in Orlando, carried one driving question. She wondered, “Beyond beauty and status, how does a place make people feel?” 

Motherhood turned that question into a mission. Traveling with her children taught her that a place holds the power to either exhaust a family or bring them closer. 

Around the dinner table, a family dream took shape. Instead of building impressive resorts, the goal was to build boutique-inspired places that touch hearts.

Opening day brought confirmation. Expecting a slow start, the team instead experienced a sellout on day one. From that moment, Magic Moment, a one-of-a-kind independent hotel, continued to grow by honoring connection.

The guest experience families today expect from resorts and how Magic Moment Resort and Kids Club in Orlando delivers

“Today’s families want more than amenities and free Wi-Fi,” observes Radonich. “They want a welcome that feels personal, spaces where children can be joyful and curious, and the freedom for parents to finally exhale. For them, real value is in how supported they feel from the first hello to the final goodbye.”

Magic Moment meets those daily, 24-hour expectations with hospitality from the heart. From the approachable front desk to the breakfast experience, every element is designed to welcome guests and their real lives. Children are encouraged to play, and parents are given permission to slow down.

“We focus on meeting a family’s needs so they can relax and focus on being together,” Radonich reflects. “When families feel emotionally safe, we see them reconnect naturally.”

How Magic Moment positioned itself as the pioneer for Orlando’s Hospitality

From the beginning, Magic Moment rejected the traditional hospitality playbook. Radonich designed a resort centered on transformation so that families staying there would get more than just leisure. They get a healing connection and hope. And that can only happen in a heart-led sanctuary where moments become memories.

“That design required intention,” Radonich says. “Instead of duplicating industry trends, we asked deeper questions. How should a space feel to a child? What helps a parent breathe easier? How can a place honor the truth that life is made of moments deserving to be lived fully? The answers became our identity. That’s why we’re more than a place for families to sleep. We’re a place for them to belong. We’re a place where they remember how they felt together.”

Magic Moment explains the role of customer service and guest satisfaction in long-term success

Radonich believes families deserve more than polished surfaces. She wants each of her guests to feel something real. It turns out that guests who feel genuinely seen and supported come back and bring others with them. 

In an industry that often chases the next big thing, Magic Moment doubles down on the timeless: presence, kindness, and sincerity. A decade of success at Magic Moment is built on a founder who operationalizes her core values. 

“If you believe in warmth, train teams to greet with eye contact,” Radonich says. “If you believe in family connection, design rooms and common areas that invite togetherness. If you believe in gratitude, consistently celebrate guests and team members. When your values translate into daily behaviors, they become culture.”

Anniversary reflections from leadership on the resort’s brand and growth

Radonich insists that performance and purpose had equal weight in the resort’s development. “Know your numbers and build strong systems,” she advises, “but never disconnect from your why. Your why creates loyalty and keeps you strong when challenges arise.”

Radonich makes the conscious choice to adopt a leadership style that honors heart. “Feeling deeply is not a liability in this industry,” she explains. “Pair heart with strategy, and it can be your compass. The blend of empathy and execution is what led us from our near sellout on day one to becoming a trusted destination for families seeking something profoundly human.”

How pioneering Dazzler Select by Wyndham promises future improvements and experiences for Magic Moment guests

In October ‌2025, Magic Moment Resort was honored as the world’s first Dazzler Select by Wyndham Hotels. The resort’s founder accepted the Dazzler Select title from the world’s largest hotel franchisor only after ensuring that Magic Moment could continue to grow and preserve the individuality that created it, the unique character that kids love, and the thoughtful touches that most parents might not even notice.

Independent hotel conversions with franchises don’t always work. When Wyndham launched economy lifestyle hotels, it needed a flagship hotel, and the brand it acquired through the boutique-inspired design elements at Magic Moment delivered it in spades. Wyndham was surely eager to include Magic Moments in its brand gallery.

At the same time, Magic Moment was ready for greater reach and resources that a company like Wyndham can procure. The soft brand conversion with Wyndham preserves the resort’s heart and values while connecting it to the reach and trust of the world’s largest hotel company. Practically, the resort gains access to the Dazzler Select properties, along with its powerful global ecosystem and industry-leading loyalty program. 

Families also gain real benefits from the collaboration, including even smoother planning and the ability to earn and redeem Wyndham Rewards points across hotels worldwide. It amplifies what already makes Magic Moment special and proves that hospitality from the heart belongs on a global stage. Growth here is not for scale’s sake, but for impact: more families, more memories, more moments that matter.

A decade in, and the Dazzler by Wyndham brand promise to independent owners endures. Dazzler Select delivers on its name, while Magic Moment remains designed for independent experiences. Magic Moment and Wyndham are not new brands, but they have created a new space in economy hotels that delivers upscale and luxury memories and experiences. 

“We will continue to evolve,” concludes Radonich, “but we’ll always fiercely protect the warmth that defined our resort from the start. Our success story isn’t about grandeur. It’s about families arriving with full hearts and leaving with fuller ones. That kind of magic only gets stronger with time.”