You and I must have played different versions of BC, because I remember people running around like they fell out of bags of Skittles with their armor, silly transformations (Noggenfogger, anyone?), and other goofy things. WoW has always had a healthy dose whimsy (both intentional and not) mixed in.

Pandas looking badass and Dracthyr not is purely subjective.

I think you have rose-tinted glasses on, friend.