I don't know about the Aldmeri dominion, but when I played Ebonheart I specifically remember picking a direction and just running. There weren't any markers or anything in the direction I was running, and eventually I came across a whole ruin with a quest chain about the Chimer. If I hadn't explored I never would have found it, no other quest lead you to that place. Is that what you're talking about?

Really? WoW feels "open-world" to you?

I don't think there's any point continuing this discussion, because you're talking about a game where the map is divided into neatly leveled zones.