I started wow less than 6 months after launch. It was never as bad as eq. Thing i dont miss from then are

Few graveyards
No questing addons or guides
It took foreeeever to get to 60 the first time.
The 100% mount was 1000g, which was a fortune.
Walking until level 40
You could wait five or six HOURS for av to pop
Gold was so valuable, mages sold conjured water

These are all minor compared to eq's issues