Ah, then I indeed misunderstood, and we completely agree. This was actually how Burning Crusade was built - a gigantic questline ending up at Illidan, which was superb if you were part of it, and probably a bit annoying, but something to yearn for, if you could not reach it.
I believe in something to yearn for, its good to have. But Blizzard decided otherwise and made raiding in Wrath much more accessible. Except heroic Lich King then, but that was another story .