I would definitely recommend the AppleCare. I have had things replaced under the plan which may or may not have been my fault *cough*. I have had issues with the superdrives, where they just stop being able to burn DVDs. I have no idea what the deal is. I did nothing to them. However, I accidentally had the computer drop from a height of about a foot onto a tile floor which totaled the HD, but there was no visible damage to the computer and they replaced that for me. My screen had become loose, so that it would shake a bit when I typed and they replaced that for me since tightening the screws didn't fix it. The wrist rest had become a TINY bit tarnished from the oils in my skin, and the replaced the topcover for me. They are awesome to work with and they take a great deal of pride in customer satisfaction. They want you to be happy with your ownership experience, and they go out of their way to keep you that way.
BTW, I'm on my third superdrive now. Has anyone else had issues with them?