"Destination: Imagination" was originally broadcast on [[Thanksgiving Day]], November 27, 2008, on [[Cartoon Network]], at 8:00 P.M. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]].<ref name="news"/><ref>{{cite journal|title=Fostering Adult Imaginations|last=Gardner|first=Jenara|date=November 27, 2008|page=G37|journal=[[The Boston Globe]]|___location=[[Boston, Massachusetts]]}}</ref> It followed an afternoon-long marathon of the animated series ''[[Chowder (TV series)|Chowder]]'' and athe [[series finale]] and Thanksgiving special of ''[[My Gym Partner's a Monkey]]'' Thanksgiving special, entitled "A Thanksgiving Carol".<ref name="news"/> The first special for the series, entitled "[[Good Wilt Hunting]]," had also aired on Thanksgiving, back in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/news/fosters-home-imaginary-friends-first-feature-movie-airs-nov-23|title=Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends First Feature Movie Airs Nov. 23|work=Animation World Network|date=November 21, 2006|last=Baisley|first=Sarah|access-date=2009-10-03}}</ref> At the [[61st Primetime Emmy Awards]], the special won the award for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program#2000s|Outstanding Animated Program (More Than One Hour)]]", winning over [[Spike TV]]'s ''[[Afro Samurai: Resurrection]].''<ref name="emmys"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/article/698531|title=Mad Men, 30 Rock Repeat at Emmys|work=Toronto Star|___location=[[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada|date=September 21, 2009|access-date=2009-10-03|last=Elber|first=Lynn ([[Associated Press]])}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/news/awards-news/tina-fey-justin-timberlake-among-big-creative-arts-winners|title=Tina Fey, Justin Timberlake Among Big Creative Arts Winners|author=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|work=[[Primetime Emmy Awards]]|access-date=2009-10-03|date=September 12, 2009|___location=[[Los Angeles, California]]|author-link=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2009/scene/awards/2009-emmy-nominations-part-i-1118006061/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120914162446/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006061.html?categoryid=1985&cs=1&query=Foster's+Home+for+Imaginary++Friends|url-status=live|archive-date=2012-09-14|title=2009 Emmy Nominations - Part I|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 16, 2009|access-date=2009-10-03|author=Staff}}</ref> It was nominated for two [[Annie Awards]] for Best Animated Television Production Produced for Children and Directing for an Animated Television Production or Short Form. The special lost both to [[Nickelodeon]]'s ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]].''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html |title=36th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (2008) |access-date=2009-10-03 |work=[[Annie Awards]].org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217224351/http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html |archive-date=February 17, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awn.com/news/awards/annie-award-nominations-announced|title=Annie Award Nominations Announced|last=Moody|first=Annemarie|date=December 1, 2008|work=Animation World Network|access-date=2009-10-03}}</ref>
"Destination: Imagination" received generally positive reviews from television critics. ''[[Newsarama]]'' reporter Steve Fritz called it "one of the best and—well—most imaginative chapters, ever." Fritz praised [[Tom Kane]] and [[Grey DeLisle]]'s performance as Mr. Herriman and Frankie, calling it "stellar," along with the dark and "edgy" undertones of the special.<ref name="news"/>
