If you have only a single snake, and you have the time for it, then there's no reason you can't maintain a large display tank--it's certainly a lot more aesthetically pleasing. You do have to be careful when you clean it--you can't skimp on periodically sterilizing the tank. It's true that is more difficult to do with a tank, and you have to be careful that you don't fail to do it as often as it should be done because it's more difficult.

There are plenty of ways to be sure the temperatures and humidity are correct, and there are a lot of options for decorating and making the tank an interesting and secure habitat for the snake. You also have to know your snake. There ARE ball pythons that do not like large enclosures--they will refuse to eat if their cage is too large.
There are also a few that will not eat if their cage is too SMALL. They are all individuals. Many will do fine in a very large tank as long as they have hiding places.
I actually have a couple of hatchlings in quarantine...in 41 quart bins, because they were available. They're doing just fine in there, so I didn't need to put them into shoeboxes.

If your snake doesn't eat within a couple of weeks of being put into a new enclosure, it may not be happy with the size or arrangement.