Star Alliance - Online Check-in - Virgin/Continental codeshare ticket?

We are flying MAN - MCO later this year and I hoped somebody may be able to help with a question about online check-in.
I booked our flights through Continental airlines.com but they are actually code-share Virgin flights
I contacted Virgin soon after making the booking to request seats together, which they very kindly allocated. I was given a Virgin reference number but as the flights were booked with Continental this doesn't permit access to our booking via the VA website.
Is it possible to 'check-in' online through either Continental or VA website when this opens up for our flight? If it does, does anybody know how it works? Also, if it doesn't will the seats we have been allocated be released as we haven't checked-in online???

Ps if anybody has booked flights through Continental travelling with Virgin I'd appreciate any info on how you got on?

Hey, yeah I do this all the time actually and online check-in opens up 24 hrs before and it would be on the virgin website as its operated on them. You just need your VS booking referance number and your last name and first name. If the booking ref number isn't working, look for an e-tiket number on the e-ticket recept emailed to u by continental and u can enter that number in alternatively(sometimes the system is weird for codeshares)

But yeah, its quick, fast, and honestly you'll be loving it as it only takes a few steps and then its cool because you can check in more than one person all in the same go

Your seats stay the same regardless if you use online check-in or not as its already been allocated to u though u can change them online if u want

Also, if continental has your name as David A Parker then in the first name field make sure to enter davida and not just david. As Continental has my first name, middle initial and last name however on the virgin website the first name and middle name/initial are combined together

Thanks for the tip thats really helpful. I've got our booking reference number from Virgin but as I couldn't access the booking I wasn't sure whether we could use online check-in. I'll give it another go now, and double my name as this may be the problem!

Despite the fact that you booked via Continental just about everything that you need to do related to the flight must be handled via Virgin. From seats to OLCI to baggage rules to elite status, all the Virgin rules apply, not the Continental ones.

Your seat assignments shouldn't be given away unless you actually no-show for the flight; just checking in at the airport won't mess that up.