I think what the OP is getting at is that by having zones you loose the feeling of "Wow I have this huge world to explore". And TBH, he is right. If this were a perfect world, and 1.0 didn't have copy pasta, then the world would feel far superior to ARRs world not just in size but in scope. (not counting content availability)

In 1.0, I felt that the world itself (for all its shortcomings) was a much larger place and me a smaller part in that world. There was danger (level 93 peistes) and I had to be more careful in traveling. It gave you a similar feel as your first trip to Jeuno in XI.

However in ARR I am the top of the foodchain, can teleport anywhere and can ride my chocobo from say, Ul'dah to Gridania in about 1/3 the time it took in 1.23.

Now, if you made it so that Behemoth spawned in random zone and started killing people... we could talk.