The soldier doll that Hero Boy plays with on Christmas morning is part of the recycled toy program the conductor mentions. The same toy appears as a puppet in the background of the scene with the Scrooge puppet.
The train set at the end is a recreation of the new Lionel Polar Express train set, combined with the older Lionel Berkshire and the older tubular track.
The Polar Express is another Christmas Carol movie. Hero Boy is Scrooge and doesn't believe in Santa anymore causing the three ghosts of Christmas (the Hobo, Conductor, and Santa) to change him forever. The Hobo is the Ghost of Christmas Past, and plays the role of Christmas Future. He tries to intimidate Hero Boy into changing his ways using only himself instead of the future. The Conductor is the Ghost Christmas Present and is in charge of keeping order in the present to get Hero Boy to Santa. Finally, Santa is Christmas Future and changes Hero Boy forever, like Scrooge was. They even pay homage to Dickens' classic by having a Scrooge puppet dance on screen briefly. (Controlled by Christmas Past)
Douglas Carrigan first directed Game was Atlantis: The Lost Empire in 2001.
Hero Boy's real name is never mentioned. However, according to books containing information about The Polar Express, including art books and fact books, Hero Boy's name is Chris, after the novel's author, Chris Van Allsburg.