Trivia: Michael's neighbors last name is O'Doyle, which is the name of the bully kids in Billy Madison who say "O'Doyle Rules."
Trivia: The giant Way Beyond room that Michael and Morty go into is a reference to the warehouse full of secrets in crates from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Trivia: In the first scene of the 2023 timeline, the TV has the news on, and behind Michael is the "Freedom Tower" in the background. It's also seen at wedding scene in 2030, although there are now two towers instead of one very large tower, which is the way the "real" Freedom Tower is supposed to be built. In the same shot, a 147-year-old Brooklyn Bridge is seen in the background as well.
Trivia: When Michael wakes up in 2017, Mr. Ammer says "Goods News, Eric Lamonsoff killed himself." Eric Lamonsoff is the main character in "Grown Ups" played by Kevin James.
Trivia: The nurse who attempts to sedate Michael in the hospital is the film's director, Frank Coraci.
Chosen answer: It was not a dream - Adam Sandler just thought it was. Morty left the remote at Michael's house as a way of letting him know that he has been given a second chance.
Remember, Morty was the Angel of Death. He gave Michael the remote (control) of his life once to do things his way and allowed him to get his earthly material desires. He became CEO of the company but sacrificed all the valuable time he could've spent with his family. At the end, the remote appears to him again. This time it's significance is "temptation" he's being given the chance to take control of things again in real life. Not just in his dream. He knows now the repercussions of wanting the.
... back into our physical body. Remember that God is always in control. Don't take the remote away from him to try to do things your way or you won't like what you find at the end of the Rainbow (Death and regret). What Morty was telling Michael in one scene about the lucky charms metaphor.
I believe it was a dream because he comes home and everything is back to normal the kids are still young his dad is living the dog Sundance is still living and his wife isn't with bill the guy that teaches Ben how to swim. He was living in a different kind of reality.
Sorry I typed to fast I meant it was a dream.