Yes your ALO is a good person to talk to regarding this situation.
I am sorry, but I chuckled a bit at the fact that you think the AFA will become your surrogate parents. I don't know what your folks are like, but unless they make you put on the big boy pants everyday, and never coddle you at all, than you are right they will be your surrogates.
Honestly, even a traditional college won't coddle you. They don't want to be your parents. They expect that as an 18 yo HS graduate you are an adult in charge of your life. They don't expect Mommy and Daddy to be living in the dorms with you, washing your clothes weekly, and reminding you to go to sleep or make your bed. Granted the AFA will be doing something like that, but again, the reason why they do it is much different than your folks, thus it is not coddling.
There is truth in the fact that the AFA and colleges will become your family, but more like siblings, not parent/child.
There is truth that you will have mentors that you look up to, but mentors are there to guide and motivate like parents, but they are not your parents, thus the relationship is different.
Back to your GAP yr., if you are serious about this, I would get on the ball now and find a program that you want to do. Again, let's say they allow it, however, how do you think it will look when you reply to the question what will you be doing and your answer is I am not sure yet, I have checked into a few things, but I am still looking.
It won't look good, because it will leave them with the idea that you have not planned this out yet, and how do they know after giving you the slot that you won't just stay at home and work at Applebee's for a yr? Where is the guarantee for them? That's JMPO if I was sitting on a nom board and didn't have a direct answer regarding any GAP yr program.