Just watching The Polar Express and I'm at the part where the main character is convinced he's dreaming. Got me thinking about something...

In the film, he says "this has got to be a dream" and then tries to wake himself up by giving himself a facewash in the snow. But it only makes the dream elements stronger, or at least does weaken the dream. Would something like this be accurate? If a person were to lucid dream and commanded themselves to wake up, would they? Or could the dream simply continue?