Other people don't appreciate it or whatever, but wanted to give you another side of the story.
I have ESO+, so I've had access to the content for years. I never finished it though.
The mount reward finally got me motivated - and it was actually really cool to have all those people there doing the story vs the ghost town it has been.
Not as crazy as a new expansion pack or the first day of an event, but full of people and movement.
I think it did what you intended, got people to experience old content that they had not done. Brought life back into old areas.
Wish it was something that could continue in all the areas, instead of clusters in those few high demand cities.