We chose the DE route. It fit better, our state paid for it, and student gets a practice run on what it is like to take classes on a college campus.
What concerned me about AP courses was the final test. All AP tests are clustered at the end of the year, along with any regular HS course final exams. At the end of Senior Year, there are many extra events and lots of emotions to distract from studies.
Of course, DE courses have final exams also, but the pressure riding on AP test score is much more intense.
The ultimate answer lies in what the college policy is. Start at the End and work backwards. Check out every college website of schools your student is applying to. Figure out what works to satisfy the majority of those colleges, and what might give your own student the best advantage. (If your child stresses out taking standardized tests, maybe AP isn’t best option.)