Officials are calling it a 'Christmas Miracle' after Walt Disney World donated two day's worth of hotel rooms and park tickets to about 250 people displaced by a three-alarm fire in Osceola County.

  • Fire destroyed the Unno Boutique Hotel on U.S. 192 Friday
  • Families had been staying at emergency shelter
  • Red Cross will determine staging center after Disney stay

Congressman-elect Darren Soto made the announcement Saturday.  

The 60 families have been staying in an emergency shelter at Kissimmee Middle School since Friday.

Early Friday morning, it took 50 firefighters about eight hours to put out the fire at the Unno Boutique Hotel on U.S. 192.  Some families staying at the hotel lost everything, including presents.

But this, former hotel guest Candace Hudson said, saved their Christmas.
 
"This is going to be something that's on my kids mind, embedded in their memory forever and ever," said Hudson. "Even though it's a tragedy we've all taken in right now, this is going to be a great memory to help that tragedy get by."
 
Soto said after the Disney stay, the Red Cross would determine a staging center to continue helping the displaced.

To make a donation to help the families, contact the Osceola Council On Aging. Donations of items and goods are being accepted with a dropoff location at 700 Generation Point in Kissimmee.

Also, if you'd like to donate money to help the victims this Christmas, Osceola County has set up a PayPal account. Go to Osceola County's home page at Osceola.org and click on the red link at the top.