Some of it could be explained by "public knowledge".
For Luke, he came at a point where the Jedi were extinct. Intentionally srubbed from the galaxy. Uncle owen would have intentionally NOT told Luke shit about the Force. So, luke had to be told the Force exists, and then told by Yoda/Obiwan what it can do and how to learn to reach out to it.
Rey and dumb kid, are coming a point, where the Force is known again. And, likely the public has a better idea about it. And so, they can pick it up faster, because they have expectations of what to actually try, and how to reach out to it.