People have never encountered the problem of "getting to 80 and then parking their toon". Even as a tank, there is always action to progress with. AAs while levelling are not needed: they change little or nothing (I know that because I am usually levelling characters in 6-8 months, and I accumulate 2-4 full AA bars with quests and PvP), and I try to do low-level instances with and without them several times.
Going as an offtank to certain hard modes in crafted culture gear has not been a problem either. DPS and healer classes have even less problems with that. Rogues can go as simple DPS.
All people who levelled to 80 around me with a class they like have always found action and progressed VERY fast.
I just fail to see any problem with AAs here.
P.S. I have just found an interesting off-topic discourse about MMOs in general:
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cf.../338967/page/1