When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I used to lucid dream every night. Sadly, I didn't take full advantage of it and usually as soon as I realized it was a dream, I would end it without realizing the full potential of knowing it's a dream. (usually I wouldn't realize unless it was more of a nightmare then a dream...I had a lot of fears back then. >.>)
In fact, one time, I had what I think was "sleep paralysis" or something similar... Same age - about 7 or 8, and I woke up with a very, very loud, what sounded like a helicopter outside my bedroom window. For some strange reason I'll never know, I was absolutely terrified of just the sound so close up and I refused to move from my spot...I remember that being the most terrifying thing that ever happened to me, despite the fact that there was really nothing there to harm me, nor should the sound of a helicopter scare me so bad. >.>
Nowadays, though, I'll have a dream I actually remember every 2 months or more...last lucid dream I had was years ago. I wish I still lucid dreamed as often as I used to, especially now that I know the full potential of it.
(The sad thing is...almost every single dream I've had recently, I actually thought to myself "This must be a dream" and then did something stupid like licking my toe and then go "nope, this is real." only to facepalm at myself the next morning. <.<)
I could actually go on for ages about what it was like to lucid dream so often back then, but I'm tired and I need to get some sleep tonight.
Long story short, yes, lucid dreaming is something I've experienced quite a bit, even if I can't do it now, and I can tell you - at least from what my memory remembers, it's as awesome as it sounds. (Aside from when helicopters come down to your windows to abduct you - that kinda sucks.)