Simple - in Prayer you speak to God or your chosen Deity. In Meditation God or your chosen Deity speaks to you. This means that you are communicating at the deepest level of yourself where you are in contact with that omnipresent force. The purpose of Meditation is to realise Divinity. For FISU meditators this process is accelerated by the powerful personal practices prescribed for each individual.
Meditation is a tool for that preparation.
Some people do have these experiences but this does not negate from people who do not. These are not the ultimate goal of Meditation, they are more like signposts on the way. Enjoy them by all means, but, do not be attached to them, for that would hold back your progress. The best possible experiences are the changes and opportunities that will happen in your waking state bringing happiness and self fulfillment. FISU promotes and propagates the teachings of Gururaj Ananda Yogi under the Spiritual Guidance of Rajesh Ananda.