I was practicing it actively 2 years ago, but gradually stopped when I had a disappointing few results. I want to start again, but haven't really managed to start with it seriously after my last try. My old dream journal is currently 32k words long, so I was able to get in quite a bit last time.
But I can tell you it is SO worth it when you successfully manage to have one. I mean, who wouldn't want to visit Equestria, fly or eat a ton of cheeseburgers?!
How real the dream is depends on your awareness/lucid state in the dream. You could be lucid, but still feel as you're in a dream, but I've also experience having a lucid dream being as real as reality. I some cases, lucid dreams can also feel as a hyper reality, and the dreamer experiences the lucid dream as more real than reality itself! (Sharpened senses, surroundings have more detailes etc.)