gistfile1.php

<?php

$xml_result = new SimpleXMLElement($W->return_data);
var_dump($xml_result);
echo "is_array = " . is_array($xml_result->entry) . "<br/>";
echo "count = " . count($xml_result->entry) . "<br/>";
?>

output:
object(SimpleXMLElement)[311]
  public 'entry' => 
    array
      0 => 
        object(SimpleXMLElement)[317]
      1 => 
        object(SimpleXMLElement)[318]

is_array = 
count = 41