Well, to an extend, having to be unlocked is good.
Having to play through a questline, for example the Highmountain quests for the HMTauren, it ok.
In fact, it is great! Who would want to paly a race and not know their story?
But needing to get exalted? Thats too much.
Not all of us are Blizzard's little slave robots, routinely doing dailies every day.