Hmmm. Well the genie and the witch (and whoever else gets involved) maybe started out at a local school, college or highschool, and realized all this supernatural stuff was taking place mostly around the mysterious hotel and eventually go to take a look or something. I dunno how else you could switch it up without taking it completely off of the original scheme (such as starting them out in a different, magical dimension where alot of supernaturals come from or something). Maybe set it in the early 1900's sometime, or sooner? I figured that maybe the witch and genie looked young, but had lived for a good long while? (still retaining their youthful demeanor)