Happy, you can embroider without hooping on the 8500. For continuous design embroidering, I would definitely baste the fabric to the appropriate stabilizer.
You would have to mark your rehooping spots on selvage ends of your fabric for the continuous embroidering.
I think you will enjoy your Pacesetter 8500, the only drawback is in design transport. You will need a converter system to do that. I have the BL Esante ESE2 that uses exact same accessories as your 8500 Brother.
Of course, if you have the stock designs, you can do those with no hoop, although I would use hoops to keep tension even.
SassySewer53